​Catholic Charities honored for making a positive impact on the community

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Catholic News Agency

Catholic Charities honored for making a positive impact on the community

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Antonio received the Community Service Award from the San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists at the organization’s annual scholarship fundraising gala Aug. 3 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

J. Antonio Fernández, president/CEO of Catholic Charities, thanked the Awards Committee for recognizing the work of Catholic Charities, and said that the recognition was truly an honor.

“I am here tonight representing more than 400 employees, 13,000 volunteers, and hundreds of board members. Together, these individuals served over a quarter of a million people last year. It is a team effort,” he said.

Fernández described how, in the past six years, Catholic Charities has grown tremendously. “And, with growth comes growing pains,” he acknowledged. “We move forward two steps, and sometimes we take a step back. Please know we’re constantly looking for ways to improve so we can reach even more people in need.”

He expressed his appreciation to all of the journalists present for telling the stories of the most vulnerable members of our community.

“You are with us in the late night hours — and in the most extreme temperatures — to accurately portray their needs. We work day and night, and are frequently called upon by authorities to assist with emergencies,” he explained. “I applaud you for also reporting the news. I know it is not an easy job.”

The Catholic Charities CEO is frequently asked the question: “Do you only help Catholics?” “And the answer is always we same,” he emphasized. “We help everybody, we just ask people: Do you need a place to sleep? Are you hungry? How can we help you? We will try our best to help you, immigrant or not, Catholic, Jewish, Agnostic, Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, Asian, whatever. We do not care where you come from; we are here to care for you. We help everybody, with kindness and a smile. We stand ready to serve; no questions asked. This is who we are.”

Fernández stressed to the media representatives that his agency is going to keep helping as much as it can. “We are working on new programs, on a new facility, and will continue to provide humanitarian aid to help those people who need it the most, and do so without judgment and with a smile,” he concluded. “We all have the power to make a difference in the life of another.”