On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Judy Orr, executive director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville, in coordination with the Catholic Charities board of trustees, made the following announcement about a restructuring of the organization. 

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville is undergoing a major restructuring, necessitated by recent federal funding cuts that have effectively dismantled the U.S. refugee resettlement program. As a result, we will close our New Americans program and lay off 51 staff members between now and mid-September. Additional layoffs in the agency are expected in the coming weeks due to the concurrent loss of ancillary overhead funding tied to these federal programs.

Catholic Charities will continue to operate the Tennessee Office for Refugees, which administers the state-wide refugee resettlement program under a federal contract, as a separate unit.

Agency leadership and staff were notified of the restructuring during individual and group meetings this week.

In recent months, federal actions have severely weakened the national resettlement infrastructure. When our national partner, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), ended its participation in the program, it became clear that we could no longer sustain this work locally, even if refugee admissions were to resume at previous levels.

Compounding these challenges is the high cost of living in the Nashville area, particularly the lack of affordable housing. For years, federal stipends to support refugee housing and basic needs have remained unchanged, even as local expenses have continued to rapidly rise.

We remain committed to serving Middle Tennesseans in crisis through our expanding network of Family Resource Centers and satellite offices. Last year alone, we served 26,000 people facing poverty, housing instability, and other urgent needs, and the demand is ever-increasing.

Though our work will look different moving forward, our commitment to the most vulnerable remains as strong and steady as ever. 

Judy K. Orr
Executive Director
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville

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