Our Stories
These are people in your community being helped by programs and services we provide. With the light of Christ, may we continue to ignite hope, build resilience and transform lives; weaving love, whispering grace and building bridges of compassion.
Celebrating a Legacy of Love
Celebrating 50 Years ofIn March, we celebrated 50 years of Father Taaffe Homes at Queen of Peace Catholic Church. The event began with a beautiful Mass and followed with a reception and festivities. A specially curated “Walk Through Time” exhibit featured archival...
New Space, Same Mission
Thanks to the incredible efforts and generosity of donors, volunteers and staff, we officially opened the doors of our relocated and renovated food pantry site last month. On opening day alone, Mission Benedict served 50 families. We also extend deep gratitude to the...
Volunteers Bring Heart to CCS Ministries
Catholic Daughters Deliver DiapersA heartfelt thank you to the Oregon Catholic Daughters of the Americas for hosting a generous diaper drive! We are truly grateful for your support of our mission.Christ the King Students Donate Items to New MothersWhen 8th graders at...
Community Gathers for Ribbon Cutting
This spring, we celebrated the completion of Pacific Station, a new affordable housing community in North Salem offering a mix of three- and four-bedroom units, addressing the critical need for housing that accommodates larger families. Pacific Station was made...
CCS Digitizes Archives
Thank you, Melinda Page and the CCS Quality and Finance teams for your outstanding work converting our paper file storage to digital archives. This process required dedication and persistence and resulted in substantial savings for CCS. Reflecting on the process,...
Employee Spotlight: Melinda Page and Eli Quirino
Melinda Page Melinda's Catholic upbringing is one of the reasons she initially noticed CCS. It caught her interest as a nonprofit, faith-based organization with a commitment to helping people, and she wanted to be part of the organization. Melinda has worked at CCS...
Gretchen’s Story
“When you choose the legacy of love, it’s a ripple effect that keeps moving forward. Choosing love, I will always tell you, that’s the right choice.” -Gretchen When Gretchen was sixteen, she found out she was going to be a mom. Growing up in an abusive home, she often...
Employee Spotlight: Chris Jones
Chris Jones is the Senior Asset Manager, which might be described as the oversight and management of Catholic Community Services Foundation’s real estate assets. He began working at CCS when a friend of his introduced him to Jim Seymour 11 years ago. "My favorite part...
Building Bridges of Compassion
Over the past year, more than 5,500 lives were touched by Catholic Community Services programs. With the light of Christ, may we continue to ignite hope, build resilience and transform lives; weaving love, whispering grace and building bridges of compassion.
Volunteer Spotlight: Kay Flynn
Kay Flynn (left) with Volunteer Services Coordinator Heidi Frederick (right).Kay Flynn began volunteering with Catholic Community Services around 2015. Her generosity has touched many CCS programs, including Mission Benedict, St. Joseph Family Shelter, Fostering Hope...
Employee Spotlight: Lori Simpson
We hope you'll join us in celebrating Lori Simpson who has just celebrated her 25th anniversary with Catholic Community Services (CCS). Prior to working at CCS, Lori worked for St. Vincent de Paul in Northeast Portland for three years. The long commute from Keizer to...
Volunteer Spotlight: Student Volunteers
CCS staff and programs are grateful for the tremendous support and contribution student volunteers make to those we serve. During the 2023-24 school year, a group of 732 individuals including students from Blanchet School & Queen of Peace Elementary School in...