October 10, 2024 // Diocese
Catholic Charities Receives Substantial Grant for Immigration Services
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend (CCFWSB) officials announced on Monday, October 2, that Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters (OLVM) presented them with a generous gift to support immigration legal services. The Sisters requested that the amount of the grant not be released.
With more than 120 million people worldwide are displaced as a result of global unrest, CCFWSB leaders say this gift comes at the perfect time, as there is an unprecedented demand for immigration legal services. “In northeast Indiana, CCFWSB has seen a significant rise in the need for legal services among immigrants,” said Nicole Kurut, Marketing Manager for Catholic Charities of Fort Wayne-South Bend. “And this contribution recognizes the low-cost exceptional work the organization does to help families build new lives in the region.”
Kurut explained that as CCFWSB is recognized and accredited by the Department of Justice to practice immigration law, the gift will be directed towards enhancing and expanding the legal services it provides to immigrant families across northeastern Indiana. She added that it includes hiring additional case managers to assist with the backlog of cases.
“For nearly 25 years, CCFWSB has been at the forefront of addressing the humanitarian needs of migrants, including being a trusted, low-cost provider of immigration legal services to those who may otherwise remain in the shadows of our community,” said Dan Florin, CEO of CCFWSB.
Luz Ostrognai, Director of Immigration Services at CCFWSB, said, “It is our goal to provide our clients with the highest level of immigration support needed, because without it, families are forced into unimaginable situations. We are one of the only agencies in our region focused on humanitarian visas. We often assist people who live in fear each day because they are at risk of labor exploitation, lack access to many public services, live without healthcare, face discrimination, and risk being separated from loved ones. It is our gospel imperative to provide a humanitarian response.”
The mission of OLVM is rooted in solidarity with marginalized communities, and the Sisters are guided by core values of hospitality and justice. CCFWSB officials say their generous support reflects their ongoing dedication to serving God’s people and ensuring the dignity and opportunity for all.
Nicole Hahn contributed to this story.
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