Annual Report 2008 - Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New ...

A Message from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, John J. Phelan, Jr.Dear Friends:I feel privileged to work with Catholic Charities.It’s as simple as that. In these challengingeconomic times, Catholic Charities responds asit has for nearly a century with determination anddedication, reaching out to provide a vast arrayof services for those in need.Permit me to express my deep appreciationto His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan for hisgenerous support to Catholic Charities during hisservice as Archbishop of New York. And allow meto welcome the Most Reverend Timothy Dolanas our new archbishop.I want to thank my fellow trustees and membersof the Cardinal’s Committee for Charity who makeCatholic Charities a priority in their philanthropicefforts throughout the year. I would also like tostress the importance of and my appreciation toall who give generously of their time, talents andresources to enable Catholic Charities to providehelp and create hope. More than 1,000 volunteerdirectors and trustees guide this federation ofnearly 100 Catholic Charities agencies throughoutthe New York metropolitan area. Their expertiseand oversight prove critical to the integrity, highquality and success of our agencies. Under thededicated leadership of Monsignor Kevin Sullivan,committed staff and volunteers help solve theproblems of New Yorkers in need—non-Catholicsand Catholics alike.My long association with Catholic Charities hasonly deepened my respect for all it does. Thisannual report provides an opportunity to extolthe agency’s work in transforming lives thanks tosupporters like you. It describes needs as well asresponses. It describes hardship as well as help,and anguish, as well as hope. It describes CatholicCharities, now more than ever, as an essentialpart of New York.With warmest regards,John J. Phelan, Jr.Chairman, Board of Trusteeswww.catholiccharitiesny.org 3