Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Vancouver

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Vancouver is a Canadian nonprofit organization operating under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver. Established during the economic hardships of the 1930s, commonly referred to as the "Hungry Thirties," the organization was founded under the leadership of the Most Reverend William Mark Duke, Archbishop of Vancouver from 1931 to 1964.

History and Development

The organization was initially created to address the social needs of the Greater Vancouver community during a time of widespread economic distress. Early initiatives included the establishment of the Greater Vancouver Catholic Credit Union, the Catholic Lending Library, and the Catholic Youth Centre Pool. These programs reflected the organization’s commitment to providing both practical financial assistance and community enrichment opportunities.

Over time, Catholic Charities expanded its scope of services and currently provides vital social services including:

• The Catholic Charities Men’s Shelter, which began as a men's hostel following a directive from Archbishop Johnson in 1958 and opened in 1959. The shelter has since evolved into an emergency shelter ministry offering safe housing, nutritious meals, hygiene facilities, clothing, and comprehensive support services addressing identification, education, employment, healthcare, mental health, housing, and community resource connections for over 100 men daily across the Vancouver metropolitan area.

• Prison ministry programs aiming to provide spiritual and social support to incarcerated individuals.

• A refugee sponsorship initiative administered by the Archdiocese’s Office of Service & Justice, focusing on assisting newcomers in need of sanctuary and integration support.

• The Door Is Open, a program addressing homelessness and poverty.

Organizational Role and Mission

Catholic Charities continues to be a critical social outreach arm of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, which itself serves a Catholic population of approximately 477,792 people across southwestern British Columbia. The Archdiocese provides ecclesiastical leadership and governance to Catholic Charities, ensuring that its programs align with the mission and values of the Roman Catholic Church in the region.

Today, Catholic Charities employs over 30 full- and part-time staff members to maintain and develop its services, reflecting a longstanding commitment to addressing pressing social issues such as homelessness, poverty, and social exclusion in the Vancouver area.

Relationship with the Archdiocese

As part of the wider ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver—an ecclesiastical territory established in 1863 with its seat at Holy Rosary Cathedral—Catholic Charities operates closely with diocesan structures to serve the community in both spiritual and charitable capacities.

This nonprofit organization, registered with the Canadian government under Business Registration Number 106879950RR0001, remains an integral part of the Archdiocese’s commitment to social justice and compassionate service.

References:

• History and social service programs of Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Vancouver[1][2].

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver overview[3].