Over the past year, our community has witnessed and felt the reverberations of economic challenges that have impacted the Greater Washington region and beyond. The scaling back of federal and local safety nets, coupled with rising costs, has caused the demand for food, housing, and medical care to surge.
As a result, the families and individuals we serve have fewer places to turn to. But Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington and the agency’s dedicated supporters have only risen to the challenge.
“What do we do?” asked Catholic Charities DC’s President and CEO Jim Malloy at the agency’s annual gala. “What this community has always done: stay true to our roots, remain laser-focused on our mission, anchored in our faith, focused on delivering impactful and life-changing services – and build forward together.”
Over 1,000 supporters of Catholic Charities DC came together on Saturday, April 18, for the 2026 Gala, where Cardinal Robert McElroy emphasized the need for continued compassion and care for the vulnerable, finding ways to enhance and expand the agency’s outreach.
That compassion was on full display when the first-ever A. James & Alice B. Clark Service Impact Award recognized a Catholic Charities DC volunteer who honors the legacy of the Clark Foundation and embodies the family’s highest ideals: hard work, integrity, and a deep commitment to investing in people. This year’s recipient, Sister Mary Jean Doyle, demonstrated dedication through her compassionate care to clients in the Trafficking Victims Assistance Program.
The Greater Washington region has faced moments of deep uncertainty before, and in true Catholic Charities DC form, has navigated those turbulent times through the committed support of the community.
In just this past year, the agency served over 140,000 residents with person-focused and culturally competent wraparound services. From newcomers who found a new path through the workforce training program to families gaining access to low-cost groceries and free shelf-ready food, Catholic Charities DC always comes together alongside volunteers and compassionate donors.
Building on this, the NextGen Catholic Charities DC supporters are walking alongside those they serve and putting their efforts to work. “As Catholics, we cannot have faith without works,” NextGen Gala co-Chair Caroline Donatelli said. “Let us, the next generation of Catholic Charities supporters, lead the way for young people everywhere — by our example of serving others and, in the process, convert our culture and change the world.”
During the evening, Catholic Charities DC Board Chair Dave DiLuigi posed an important question to the crowd: “What will we do with the years we have left? A sensitive heart does not ignore the weight another person carries. Rather, it feels it, and asks, ‘How can I ease your burden?’”