President’s Campaign

“Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle” (CCTXP) was blessed in December as we moved into our new food pantry as we await the completion of our office and educational building next door. We simply have outgrown our Dunivan Circle facility! Our new location is in the 1900 block of North Spring Street, east of Grand Avenue and south of NE 24 th Street. The Capital Campaign continues to raise the necessary funds to ensure Catholic Charities completes this project to better serve our friends and clients. Barring continued COVID-19 protocols, you are invited to our ribbon cutting ceremony sometime in late spring or early summer.
 
CCTXP provides aid, assistance, kindness, mercy, and respect for our clientele regardless of their social standing, race, nationality, or religion. This has been both an exciting and challenging year for CCTXP as Covid-19 protocols continue. We increased our food distribution over 800% and it is still on the increase. For instance, on Wednesdays, well over several hundred cars line up to receive food boxes. No questions asked, no registration required if they are in need, they receive a box.
 
CCTXP has been very fortunate in that while many of our contributions did fall off, the Food Pantry increased substantially. Financial contributions came in from many sources along with food drives providing much needed products to fill pantries shelves. Then there are the hundreds of hours of volunteer services by men and women who while wearing masks came to the food pantry, packed boxes for distribution and delivered boxes to those waiting for the needed provisions.

Every year it is interesting to see what challenges will arise and how they are to be handled. But this is particularly true during this unprecedented nationwide, worldwide pandemic. For all Charitable Organizations questions arise: How will we be able to minister to the ever-increasing number of families being affected by the virus physically, socially, mentally, financially? How will our financial resources impact our other existing services? How can we ask again and again for money? Simply, we must ask! Sadly, the need is great, while the threat of Covid may decrease this year, the impact it has left, particularly on those most vulnerable, remains and will continue to remain for some time.
 
In Deuteronomy, chapter 15, God told Moses to relay this to the people: “If someone is in need, do not harden your heart nor close your hand to his need. Instead, you shall open your hand and freely give him enough to meet his need, and the Lord, your God, will bless you. The needy will never be lacking if you open your hand to the poor and needy.”
 
Much of the revenue available to Catholic Charities is generated through the generosity of many Texas Panhandle individuals, churches, and businesses, along with generous grants from several Charitable Foundations. Catholic Charities is a nonprofit organization and donations are tax-deductible as per IRS 501 (c) (3). Catholic Charities annually undergoes an independent audit conducted by Johnson & Sheldon, PLLC. Thanks to Executive Director Jeff Gulde, CCTXP staff, and the Board of Directors, there is considerable effort by all to be good stewards of our resources, thus making the most of every dollar.

If you wish to enrich your spiritual life, to love and serve the Lord and those less fortunate, do as the Heavenly Father instructed: “freely give to those in need”. Please join me, my wife Louise, and the Board of Directors in helping Catholic Charities’ mission to serve those in most need of the Lord’s mercy.
 
 
 
Thanking you in advance, I remain,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
  
 
 
Deacon Blaine Westlake
President – Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle