“Half of Americans lack the resources to deal with an unexpected financial emergency of $400, without borrowing money from a family member or using credit. That means that an unexpected medical bill or even just a fender bender can significantly affect a person’s finances. Save First Financial Wellness aims to help individuals become more financially resilient…

After 8 years of service to Catholic Charities of Oregon (CCO), Deacon Rick Birkel passes the light of leadership onto new Executive Director for CCO, Natalie Wood. After 20 years with Catholic Charities in Houston, Texas, Natalie joins us with a wealth of experience and a deep faith. Natalie will officially assume her new position…

Congratulations to Molly O’Donnell, Executive Director for Save First Financial Wellness,  for her appointment to the Board of Directors of Lighthouse Financial Foundation. Lighthouse Financial Foundation provides financial services, counseling, and training to underserved populations in our community. With Molly’s expertise and passion for helping families and individuals become financially stable, she is the perfect…

Catholic Charities of Oregon, along with other partners, will be providing referrals and services for a new housing project called, “The Lawrence”. This affordable housing project is being developed by Home First Development and Green Light Development, whose primary focus is to serve the Zomi community. Construction for The Lawrence is expected to be completed…

“In a Northwest Portland synagogue May 17, dozens of faith leaders expressed solidarity with Ukraine’s people and urged believers to contribute to humanitarian support.” To read the full article visit: https://catholicsentinel.org/Content/News/Local/Article/Religious-leaders-express-solidarity-with-Ukrainians-/2/35/45782

After reading an article about Oregon wildfire survivors, couple Rob and Sharla Walsh were inspired to lend their support and call others to do the same. To learn more about the story that sparked their generosity, visit: https://www.catholicsentinel.org/Content/Default/Homepage-Rotator/Article/Couple-issue-challenge-grant-to-help-fire-survivors-/-3/382/45760?s=1  

It’s Mental Health Awareness month; a time for reconnecting and reprioritizing self-care, healing, and wellness. As you consider what that means for you, here are a few Mental Health Tips to reflect on.

Catholic Charities of Oregon’s Healthy Housing Initiative has become a model for other Catholic Charities across the United States. “At its heart, the Healthy Housing Initiative (HHI) is about seeing the dignity of every person. A person-centered, comprehensive approach to chronic homelessness, the program meets people where they are and moves them into permanent supportive…

Most of us were taught never to talk about politics, religion, or money. As a culture, this old-school mentality hasn’t been serving us very well (see modern social/political discourse). We need to talk about these things because they ARE complicated topics. Ideally, we are the ones role modeling for our children how to have these…

Save First Financial Wellness, a social enterprise of Catholic Charities of Oregon, provides financial wellness services including financial coaching, workshops, credit building, Rentwelll classes and more. Throughout the month, our team at Save First is sharing their expertise on various financial topics. Neal Mckeever, Assistant Director of Education at Save First, has several tips for…