Catholic Community Services of Western Washington

08/28/2026

Last week, several of our Board members, along with Bishop Frank Schuster, joined CCSWW President & CEO Jilma Meneses and Catholic Charities Foundation Executive Director Christina Stewart for a meaningful visit to several of our CCS/AHA program sites.

Together, they spent time serving and connecting with clients at Clare’s Place, Sebastian Place, St. Martin de Porres Shelter, and Junction Point. This provided them the opportunity to listen, learn and witness firsthand the impact of our mission in action.

We’re grateful for leaders who take the time to be present, serve alongside our teams, and deepen their connection to the people and communities we are privileged to serve.

08/26/2026

A heartfelt thank you to our Board member Brenda Fincher and Lucy Del Cid of Greensource Brand Apparel for their incredibly generous clothing donations to CCS staff and clients in need.

Your generosity is making a meaningful difference and helping ensure our community members feel supported and cared for. We are so grateful for your partnership and kindness!

08/26/2026

We are extremely thankful for the opportunity to be present and represent CCSWW at this wonderful gathering!

08/24/2026

We're extremely thankful for our partners at Mount Vernon Police Department - WA and Skagit Land Trust for their support in helping us make this experience special for these families!

08/14/2026

We’re grateful to the Cambia Health Foundation/Regence BlueShield for a $50,000 grant supporting Catholic Community Services’ Kinship program!

Kinship families are families where grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends step in to care for children when parents are unable to. This generous grant will help CCS Kinship continue providing these caregivers with the resources and support they need to thrive.

Thank you, Cambia Health Foundation, for investing in kinship families and helping caregivers build strong, supportive futures for the children in their care.

08/11/2026

From humble beginnings to a lifetime of service, José Ortiz’s story is one of faith, compassion and a deep commitment to helping others.

Inspired by his mother and Father Michael Holland, José has spent decades serving vulnerable communities across Western Washington - including through his work with Catholic Community Services.

Today, he continues that mission as a CCSWW Northwest Regional Network Builder, advocating for those who need a voice and reminding us that we all have a role to play in making our communities stronger.

And yes - he still makes time for one of his lifelong passions: cruising in his beloved lowriders.

Read José’s inspiring story in Northwest Catholic: https://nwcatholic.org/news/andrew-foster/a-life-of-serving-others-cruising-in-lowriders

When he was just a few years old, José Ortiz was already working in the dumps in Northern Mexico.

08/07/2026

Earlier this week, CCSWW President & CEO, Jilma Meneses, had the honor of delivering the keynote address at the 2026 Inspire Conference at Seattle University, hosted by the Archdiocese of Seattle Catholic Schools. The two-day conference brought together more than 400 Catholic educators from throughout the Seattle Archdiocese and the country to reflect, connect, and prepare for the 2026–2027 school year.

During her keynote, Jilma reflected on the educators and mentors who helped shape her life and inspired her to fulfill her purpose. She encouraged attendees to recognize the profound impact they have on their students, reminding them that they, too, have the opportunity to help young people discover their purpose and reach their full potential.

A heartfelt thank you to the Archdiocese of Seattle, Seattle University, and Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Nicholas Ford, for hosting such an inspiring conference and for inviting CCSWW staff to participate in several panel discussions.

We wish all educators, students, and school communities a wonderful and blessed 2026–2027 school year!

08/05/2026

August is here! That means it's time for the Youth Tutoring Program's annual School Supply Drive! Please consider supporting our YTP scholars by visiting our Amazon wishlist here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3EKH09J1SI8CM/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_2

We are gearing up for the '26-'27 school year, and the start of another wonderful Fall Session of Youth Tutoring with our scholars!
Each year during our fall registration, we offer supplemental school supplies to support our scholars and their families so they can start the year off strong. If you are interested in donating this year, please visit our Amazon Wishlist by visiting our Link Tree in our Bio, or scanning the QR code below!
If you would like to make a monetary donation towards our School Supply Drive, please visit our website also found in our Link Tree!

08/04/2026

Our hearts are with our neighbors affected by the devastating wildfires in Eastern Washington.

As thousands of people have been forced to evacuate their homes and communities face tremendous loss, we stand in solidarity with all those impacted. We are grateful for the firefighters, first responders, and emergency personnel working tirelessly to protect lives and keep communities safe.

Catholic Charities Eastern Washington has established a fire support fund to provide emergency assistance and support for individuals and families affected by these fires. If you would like to help, please consider making a gift today: https://give.cceasternwa.org/give/511873 #!/donation/checkout

Please join us in praying for the safety, strength, and healing of all our neighbors in Eastern Washington.

08/03/2026

Join Catholic Community Services of Western Washington on our first-ever pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City!

From April 5–11, 2027, journey with fellow volunteers and supporters for a faith-filled experience led by Archbishop Paul D. Etienne, who will celebrate daily Mass and serve as our Spiritual Director. Together, we'll deepen our faith, build community, and visit one of the world's most beloved pilgrimage sites.

Interested in learning more? Join one of our upcoming virtual information sessions:
📅 August 4 or September 1 at 7:00 p.m. (Zoom) Link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=RLmkslZnqUiqgSy_-zHPa3AIuMSRWuhBoGL7VcxzVOxUQzVWSTZWTzU1R0RNN0paQlBVUkIySVdGTi4u&route=shorturl

For questions, please reach out to Aleah at [email protected]