For years, Catholic Charities of Louisville has helped expecting moms and dads prepare for parenthood through its flagship Mother-Infant Care Program. Today, that is just one of many programs offered by Community Support Services (CSS). Whether welcoming a new baby or caring for an aging loved one, we have information and resources to strengthen any family. CSS enriches the lives of family members across generations by promoting wellness, providing resources, and building community connections.
Through programs like Mother-Infant Care, Mama Matters, and Family Support On-the-go, we offer educational workshops, support group meetings, community referrals, and much-needed resources. Other services include information and referral for those seeking adoption services, a referral line to connect community members to other local agencies, case management for individuals in Rapid Rehousing with St. Vincent de Paul, and Fr. Jack Jones Food Pantry at Holy Name campus. This program also includes Hispanic Ministries and Family Ministries in partnership with the Archdiocese of Louisville.
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For years, Catholic Charities of Louisville has helped prepare expecting moms and dads for parenthood through its flagship Mother-Infant Care Program. We also offer a support group and informative classes for new parents. And for those seeking assistance with adoption services, we can connect clients with the appropriate local resources.
Mother-Infant Care
Now in partnership with Norton Women and Children’s, Mother-Infant Care offers six pregnancy education and newborn care classes presented by Norton’s Childbirth Educators. Topics will include Birth to Baby, Breastfeed Essentials, Infant CPR, and more! Upon completion of the six classes, participants are eligible for a large gift (including cribs, car seats, pack’n plays, etc.) and a layette filled with baby essentials.
To sign up for this program, click here and complete the form. A staff member will contact you within two business days.
For more information, contact Alayna Pearson at 502-637-9786 X319.
Mama Matters
Family Support hosts a support group called Mama Matters that is open to moms with children 5 years and under. The group is now in-person and virtual. In-person classes are on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month (sign-up required) and virtual meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month (excludes observed holidays). Moms can earn points each time they participate and points can be cashed in for items for their babies and households. For more information, contact Alayna Pearson at 502-637-9786 X319.
Check out the client cookbook.
Family Support On-the-Go
We offer On-the-go so that other community organizations can request programming to promote family wellness, tailored to the clients they serve. Community organizations can customize the duration of their program and topics they would like presented. Topics can include those presented for the Mother-Infant Care program as well as others such as internet safety, addressing challenging behaviors in young children, and more. For more information, contact Alayna Pearson at 502-637-9786 X319.
Adoption Services
As of March 2018, Catholic Charities of Louisville will no longer be a child-placing agency for foster care or adoption. As a result, services such as adoptive couple training and adoption home studies also will be removed.
However, we plan to continue and/or develop the follow adoption services:
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Providing information and education on options regarding adoption for prospective adoptive couples and prospective birth parents;
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Identifying and/or referring to placing agencies and/or private attorneys for adoption services for prospective adoptive couples and prospective birth parents;
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Case management and community referrals for social services needed by any pregnant woman, regardless of plans to parent or to place child up for adoption;
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Providing information regarding adoption records for past adoptions that took place through CCL or past agencies affiliated with the Archdiocese of Louisville, per statutes and policies;
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Upon request, continued support and case management for adoptive families and birth families that have placed children for adoption through CCL.
Adoption Records
Our goal is to reunite those adoptees that are searching for their birth parent(s) or the birth parents that is searching for his/her birth child. Both a birth parent and his/her birth child need to have made contact with Catholic Charities , in writing, giving consent to have contact before any reunion can take place. Both parent and child are then contacted by a Catholic Charities Post Adoption Specialist prior to providing any identifying information. We also provide non-identifying information and medical history to adoptee upon written request.If you are looking for adoption records, please contact Kay Hackett or JoAnne Sherman, available Monday & Thursday from 10 AM – 3 PM, at 502-637-9786. What you’ll need…1. Looking for birth parents:
- Your adopted name
- Your current address
- Your contact numbers (home/cell)
- Your date of birth
- Your adoptive parents’ full names
- Copy of driver’s license (used for identification purposes only)
- Consent letter or email stating your desire for contact or no contact
2. Looking for birth child:
- Name of child when placed for adoption
- Your full name
- Your current address
- Your contact numbers (home/cell)
- The child’s date of birth
- Copy of driver’s license (used for identification purposes only)
3. Looking for non-identifying or medical information
- Your adopted name
- Your current address
- Your contact numbers (home/cell)
- Your date of birth
- Your adoptive parents’ full names
- Copy of driver’s license (used for identification purposes only)
- $75 check or money order made payable to Catholic Charities
PlaygroupsFamily Services has partnered with a variety of organizations to provide playgroups for caregivers and children up to age 5 years. These playgroups promote social-emotional development in children, caregiver-child bonding, and provide opportunities for safe and fun socialization for children and their caregivers! Some of the organizations Family Services has partnered with included GrowBabyGrow, Heartland Music Together, and Tippi Toes. Programs are typically scheduled monthly, free, and open to the public. For more information, contact Alayna Pearson at 502-637-9786 X319.
The most vulnerable among us face an array of challenges, and Catholic Charities is committed to assisting clients via direct services or by connecting them with like-minded organizations to get the help they need.
To request financial assistance, click here and fill out the form. You will be contacted within two business days.
Referral Center
Catholic Charities of Louisville works in conjunction with a long list of local agencies to restore hope and provide support. Depending on the particular challenges a client is facing, our Resource Center staff will identify the appropriate organization to provide assistance. Examples of community partners are:
- Food banks and community meals
- Employment services
- Maternity resources
- Addiction recovery programs
- Mental health services
- Homeless shelters
Contact 502-637-9786.
Father Jack Jones Food Pantry
Catholic Charities of Louisville opened a Dare to Care food pantry in May 2021 on the campus of Holy Name Catholic Church, 2914 S. Third St.
Although anyone with need will be served, the pantry aims to serve those living between I-65 and 7th Street Rd. to the east and west, and the University of Louisville and the Watterson Expressway to the north and south.
Hours:
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesdays
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursdays
If you are interested in volunteering or donating goods, please email the Food Pantry Coordinator, Harmony Lanham at hlanham@archlou.org.
This one-of-a-kind program provides burial services for individuals in our community who do not have resources or family to provide them. Individuals that are experiencing financial hardships that are unable to pay for a traditional funeral service could be eligible. Every individual that qualifies for the Indigent Burial Program receives a dignified and respectful service surrounded by compassionate volunteers and community members.
All individuals that live and pass away in Jefferson County and are in financial duress may be eligible for the program. It is an application process and individuals can be turned away based on the decedent’s finances as well as the family’s ability to pay.
Next-of-kin may choose between cremation and burial in our cemetery, Meadow View, located off Dixie Highway, just south of Snyder Freeway. For cremations, next-of-kin are the only ones that can authorize the process.
Those who qualify and want burial, receive a coffin, an individual plot, and a grave marker within the cemetery. Every burial is presided over by community members that act as pallbearers and lead an individualized prayer service for each person.
Since 2006, local Catholic High Schools, Universities, and Alumni Associations, have been participating through the St. Joseph of Arimathea Society. At the present, over 10 groups are active.
Our mission is to make sure every individual receives a personalized and respectful service that memorializes their life on earth. We want to ensure, as a community, that everyone who exits this life and enters the next, is surrounded by people that care about them.
The Indigent Burial Program is provided in partnership with Catholic Charities of Louisville, Louisville Metro Parks, the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, Owen Funeral Home, the St. Joseph of Arimathea Society, and Louisville Metro Council. If you have inquiries, please call Catholic Charities of Louisville, at 502-637-9786 x340.