Catholic Charities’ mission is still critical after 75 years

When I was growing up, my parents struggled to make ends meet. My father, a miner, worked steadily but was often cheated by dishonest employers, and my mother took in laundry to help pay the bills. We lived in a home my father built from railroad ties and plaster, without hot water or an indoor toilet, in the little town of Searchlight.

That experience has informed my three decades serving the people of Nevada in Washington. It’s why I have fought hard to protect workers, provide educational opportunities for children, regardless of their background, and defend the right of all Americans to work and live with dignity.

In many ways, my work in Congress has allowed me to ease for others the economic hardship I experienced as a young child.

But I am not alone in this pursuit. Others share in the mission to give people a fair shot and provide them with the necessary tools to overcome their challenges. One such organization is Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada.

In 1941, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada opened with an operating budget of just $10,000. Since then, it has grown in size and scope, with 20 programs offering assistance to 100,000 residents in the Las Vegas Valley.

Today, its social service offerings range from making reassurance calls and delivering meals to seniors, to re-housing homeless Nevadans and helping families put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Catholic Charities serves 1,000 meals to Nevadans every day and provides more than 500 people with shelter each night.

In addition, this dedicated nonprofit delivers much-needed companion and nutrition services for the elderly and recognizes the value of age and experience by offering retirees opportunities to give back to their communities and mentor at-risk children.

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada has also played a critical role in resettling refugees. It has helped people from many nations, including Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iran, learn language skills, find jobs and begin a new life in the Silver State. It works closely with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Department of Homeland Security to identify immigrants in need of legal representation and helps them become citizens and legal permanent residents.

For 75 years, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada has helped the residents of Southern Nevada get back on their feet. I congratulate the board and staff on this milestone and thank them for their important work to improve lives in the region. With more than 2 million residents in the Las Vegas Valley, Catholic Charities’ mission is as critical today as it was when it first opened its doors.

Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, is minority leader of the U.S. Senate.