The history of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend comprises countless stories of good people doing wonderful things to improve the lives of other people. These things have been done in the name of Jesus and with a great love of humanity.

The Catholic segment of the population in northern Indiana grew dramatically in the 1850s, leading to the creation of the Diocese of Fort Wayne by papal decree in 1857. Many of these Catholics were German and Irish immigrants looking for land to farm or jobs in growing population centers.

During the early years of the diocese, there were no organized charitable efforts within the Catholic community beyond those provided by the Church. People in need often relied upon the goodwill of friends and family. Moreover, an outbreak of cholera and the tragedy of the Civil War greatly tested the Catholic community’s ability to provide help to individuals, families, widows, and orphans during the early part of the 1860s.

Although the creation of Catholic Charities was still decades away, precursors of its work appeared in the Diocese of Fort Wayne during the last quarter of the 19th century with the founding of Sacred Heart Home for the aged in 1876, the establishment of a St. Vincent de Paul Society in 1879, and the founding of St. Vincent Villa, an orphanage, in 1886.

In the years after World War I, the diocese faced a new set of challenges as it ministered to a “modern” society. Parishes, through the work of the St. Vincent de Paul societies, responded to these growing needs, but an even greater effort was necessary.

Recognizing this increased need, Bishop Herman Alerding established Associated Catholic Charities in 1922. With a mission to provide organized, concerted charitable efforts, the new agency opened its offices in the Standard Building in Fort Wayne.

In 1924, Associated Catholic Charities became one of 19 original members of the Community Chest, which is now known as the United Way of Allen County. In 1925, Associated Catholic Charities adopted a constitution and bylaws, appointed laymen from each parish to its board of directors, and became affiliated with the National Conference of Catholic Charities, now Catholic Charities USA. By 1927, Associated Catholic Charities had become a state-licensed child-placing agency.

The Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II brought a greater call for services. Associated Catholic Charities made sure needy children had milk, schoolbooks, and supplies during the Depression. The agency’s war effort included assisting the families of veterans, aiding displaced people, and participating in a communitywide childcare center to help working mothers.

In 1947, Associated Catholic Charities opened an office in South Bend, now the center for the agency’s Western Region, to better serve that area’s large Catholic population.

The years following World War II saw many changes at Associated Catholic Charities. Responding to the needs for counseling and support services for families, the agency recruited a staff of professional social workers.

In 1957, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend, Inc., was created through a reorganization. In the ensuing decades, the agency has augmented and refined its offerings and now directly assists nearly 16,000 people each year.

The people at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend are proud of their history and even prouder of their work today as they meet the challenges of an increasingly complex, “modern” society.

Click here to view our history as a more detailed timeline.