Catholic Charities

Catholic Welfare Bureau established by Bishop Michael Heiss 

St. Michael’s Orphanage for Boys opens in La Crosse 

St. Mary’s Home for Girls opens in Sparta 

St. Anne’s Orphanage for Girls opens in La Crosse 

St. Michael’s Orphanage for Boys and Girls rebuilt in La Crosse 

Child Placing Agency license issued to St. Michael’s Orphanage 

St. Joseph’s Nursing Home opens in La Crosse 

Child Placing Agency license granted to Catholic Welfare Bureau
Monsignor Alphonse Schuh appointed first director of CWB 

Wausau CWB office opens 

Eau Claire CWB office opens 

Stevens Point CWB office opens 

Fr. Norbert Dall, M.S.W. appointed director of CWB 

St. Michael’s converted to residential treatment facility 

CWB incorporated as Catholic Social Services, Inc. 

Marriage and Family Counseling program initiated
Refugee Resettlement program opens 

Fr. William Jablonski appointed director of Catholic Social Services 

Cadre Study published by National Conference of Catholic Charities changes name to Catholic Charities, Diocese of La Crosse, Inc. 

Seven group homes for adolescents established 

“Riverdale” Mental Health Clinics receive state licensure 

“Marywood” Convalescent Center built in Wausau
Parent Education program initiated in Merrill

Residential care of children discontinued – St. Michael’s closed
Mr. James Wagner becomes first lay director of Catholic Charities

St. Joseph’s Nursing Home rebuilt in La Crosse

Diocese of La Crosse OJP assumes Refugee Resettlement program

Consumer Credit counseling program initiated

Ms. Marky Engler appointed Director of Catholic Charities
Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids offices opened

Children’s Services merged into Riverdale clinics

Refugee Resettlement program returned to Catholic Charities

Riverdale Clinics closed
Catholic Charities becomes “Catholic Residential Services, Inc.”
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse, Inc. established
Wausau office reopens

Robert Laubach appointed Director of Catholic Residential Services
Daniel Idzikowski appointed Director of Catholic Charities
Emergency Services program for economic aid opens

Prairie du Chien office opened
“Friends of Adoption” Post-Adoption Resource Center established
Adoption office in Superior opens
HUD Housing Counseling program initiated in Wausau

Special Needs Adoption services begin
Domestic Abuse Prevention program established in Crawford County
Mental Health outpatient clinics licensed by DHFS
Project Rachel post-abortion healing program begins
Seed of Hope farm family outreach program begins

Outreach program for children with severe emotional disabilities began
WorkSavers Individual Development Account program established

MIRA Legal Immigration program accredited by Department of Justice
Representative Payee program established

Refugee Resettlement program re-opens under Catholic Charities
Central Wisconsin HIV/AIDS Ministry joins CCDL

Council on Accreditation for Family and Children’s Agencies accredits Catholic Charities of La Crosse for the 1st time
Position created to work in grants and development area
Hurricane Katrina efforts

Deacon Richard Sage appointed CEO
Preparation being made to move La Crosse office to Holy Cross Diocesan Center

Immigration program revamped as the second wave of Hmong refugees comes to an end
Immigration attorney hired for Migration, Immigration, and Refugee Assistance program (MIRA)
Assisted with establishing Hispanic Ministry in La Crosse Area
New Strategic Plan Adopted
Inaugurated the “Lenten Luncheon” event and the first “In My Name” award recognition
Responded to the Flood of August 2007
Worked with VOAD at local and state levels to perform long-term flood recovery

Inaugurated the “Evening in the Chippewa Valley” Event
Collaboration with Place of Grace Catholic Worker House for Emergency Services outreach
Flood in June of 2008 – Catholic Charities becomes known as an early responder to disaster
COA re-accreditation

Inaugurated the “Evening in the Wisconsin River Valley” Event

Hague Accredited – International Adoption

Joined the La Crosse Homeless Coalition in opening the La Crosse Warming Center
Catholic Charities became operator of La Crosse Warming Center
Opened Eau Claire Homeless Shelter, The Sojourner House

Consolidated Emergency Services and Financial Counseling Services into one department: St. Lawrence Community Services-providing community outreach, advocacy, financial education and enrichment
Closed Stevens Point Office
Inaugurated Wausau Lenten Luncheon

Joined the Wausau Housing and Homeless Coalition in opening of the Wausau Community Warming Center
COA re-accreditation
Opened new Wausau office location with expanded services to the homeless
Collaboration with Bridges of Belonging in operating the Dwelling Place-an Adult Family Home owned by Bridges of Belonging and operated by Catholic Charities

Hague re-accredited – International Adoption
New La Crosse Downtown location housing the La Crosse Community Warming Center, St. Lawrence Community Services and Immigration Services
Mr. Roberto Partarrieu is appointed as the eighth Executive Director of the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of La Crosse

Opening of Franciscan Hospitality House in La Crosse

Opening of Beyond Shelter in Wausau
Collaboration with the Loyal Community in opening the House of Mercy
Closed Hands of Hope Program

Opening of additional Beyond Shelter Home

Agency Reaccreditation with COA
Hague Reaccreditation with COA for International Adoption
DS opens 2nd Live-By in La Crosse
DS Day School Program opens a satellite school in Westby for students in rural areas. Program closes after 1 year due to lack of student referrals.

Opened Second Chances Thrift Store in Loyal
Opened Milwaukee office for Adoption and Post Adoption Services
Discontinued our Domestic Abuse Program in Prairie du Chien
Closed our Prairie du Chien office the end of March. Our PdC Rep Payee Caseworker worked remotely from her home until Jan 2023.
Welcomed first residents to Beyond Shelter on Liberty Street in La Crosse
DS Live-By Program awarded by the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) as Agency of the Year for outstanding commitment to the health and well-being of people with mental illness.
Day School Program becomes a private school renamed Driftless Pass

Franciscan Hospitality House was closed in March
The Dwelling Place transferred management to ILC in September 2020
We purchased the building on 508 5th Street in La Crosse on June 12
In October we moved Immigration, Rep Payee, and St. Lawrence staff to 508 5th Street when the Warming Center needed more social distancing space during COVID.
Driftless Pass splits from Disabilities Services and becomes its own service

WISAPSP begins serving Post Adoption Families
In August we started receiving gifts and donations for the Afghan refugees

Agency Reaccreditation with COA
Hague Reaccreditation with IAAME for International Adoption
Sept 30th we closed the 1st Beyond Shelter house on 10th Ave in Wausau
July 21st we purchased the McClellan house in Wausau to house Afghan refugees

Transferred ownership of Second Chances Thrift Store in Loyal
WISAPSP ends and Journeys program begins serving Post Adoption families
Renovation of Sojourner House in Eau Claire is completed
Wausau Warming Center and offices move into the new Community Partners
Campus in Wausau
DS Live-By in Black River Falls opens and closes soon after due to lack of referrals

Wausau Warming Center stays open year-round and changed name to Good Shepherd Shelter
Opened the Day Center for homeless individuals in Wausau
Moved Milwaukee/Greenfield office to new location
DS opens FolksHaven in La Crosse for men with mental health needs