Catholic Charities

New York State requires same-sex couple have the same right as heterosexual couples to adopt children. Catholic doctrine defines marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman. Citing the irreconcilable difference, Catholic Charities has decided to end its long-running foster care and adoption services.

Catholic Charities hosted representatives of more than a dozen local businesses Tuesday. It was the not-for-profit agency's opportunity to say "thank you" for the willingness of those companies to provide jobs for some of Buffalo's resettled refugee population.

The 94th Catholic Charities Appeal in the Diocese of Buffalo is officially underway. This year's drive was formally launched inside the offices of one of its many diverse services. This year's Appeal has a familiar goal, while this year's theme recognizes what the bishop recognized as an increasingly polarized society and volatile world.

Health care for refugees and immigrants on the West Side is expanding, with the new Catholic Charities Health Care Center.

Community, public, labor and religious leaders are uniting to launch a pre-apprenticeship program that seeks to increase diversity in the Niagara Falls and Niagara County workforce.

The first day of the annual Catholic Charities went by Sunday with drive officials saying they are seeing signs the local economic resurgence is also showing up in gifts to the drive.

Among the individuals and families strolling through Delaware Park in Buffalo today were some who were there to raise awareness of breastfeeding and its benefits for both baby and mother.

Completion of a two-year expansion project was celebrated Tuesday on the campus of Sisters Hospital in Buffalo, the home of the busiest WIC office among 15 in Erie and Niagara Counties.

Social service agencies across the region are stepping up their efforts to protect the most vulnerable from the bone chilling cold of recent days.  WBFO's Mark Scott visited a program on Buffalo's East Side that caters to the needs of older adults.

Students at a South Buffalo school received a lesson in "kindness".  As part of our Focus on Education reporting, WBFO'S Eileen Buckley says the Catholic Charities in-school Social Work program delivered the Rachel's Challenge program to Notre Dame Academy on Abbott Road.

Catholic Charities of Buffalo is gearing up for its 88th annual Appeal drive. 

Bishop Edward Kmiec announced a $10.6 million goal for the 2012 Appeal at the South Buffalo Food Pantry Wednesday.

Sister Mary  McCarrick is the diocesan director of Catholic Charities.  She noted that through food pantries and numerous other services, Catholic Charities is meeting needs every day.

"We want to provide the basic of food. We also wants to do other things that enhance and improve the lives of some of  our needy residents in Western New York," said McCarrick.