What is Catholic Charities? 

Catholic Charities was founded over a century ago by a few dozen men and women believed that the collective efforts of the Church to faithfully serve people in need could change the course of poverty in our nation. Today, there are 167 local Catholic Charities agencies throughout the United States with different programs and services tailored to meet the needs of each individual community.

The Roman Catholic Bishop here in the Diocese of Fresno, which consists of 35,239 square miles of the San Joaquin Valley of California, is Bishop Joseph V. Brennan. He is responsible for caring for not only the 1.2 Million registered Catholics within the Diocese, but for the 3 Million souls who reside here.

Catholic Charities’ sole purpose is to support him in caring for those 3 Million souls.

Though the region is characterized by its agricultural base and is often referred to as the “bread basket” of the world, food insecurity is prevalent and there’s a 21.3% poverty rate vs. the California statewide average 12.8%. Addressing food insecurity is our largest program that serves over 200,000 individuals annually regardless of race, age or religion.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fresno was established in 1968 and is a 501c(3) organization that relies on private donations to continue serving families in the greatest of need. Eighty-nine cents of every dollar donated goes directly to programs and services. Tax ID is 94-1678938.