Catholic Charities Providing help. Creating hope.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice part
of nation’s second largest nonprofit network

Venice—The Catholic Charities network—in which Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc. is a part—has been ranked as the second largest nonprofit in the country, according to The NonProfit Times, which publishes the oldest annual ranking of charities in the country.

To be included in the “NPT 100,” nonprofits must raise at least 10 percent of their total revenue from public sources, such as individual donors and foundations.

This year, the Catholic Charities network also has been ranked 10th among the nation’s largest fundraising organizations in the country by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. The Chronicle’s Philanthropy 400 ranks the nation’s largest nonprofits groups by how much money they raise from private sources. In 2004, Catholic Charities agencies across the nation received more than $580 million in private support.

Catholic Charities agencies provide a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from day care and counseling to food and housing. In 2004, Catholic Charities agencies provided help and created hope for more than 7.1 million people in need, regardless of their religious, social, or economic backgrounds. Last year, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice served almost 90,000 people.

Entering this holiday season, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice continues to face an ever-increasing need for services, especially after the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. Hurricane victims come to the organization for immediate assistance with food, water, cleaning supplies and emergency financial help along with long-term support with affordable housing, job placement and mental health counseling. Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice annually conducts a Christmas Appeal to help sustain these services for the 10-county area of Southwest Florida.

The 2004 combined revenue of the Catholic Charities network was $3,189,302,436. Nearly 90 percent of these funds were spent on programs and services, making Catholic Charities network one of the nation’s most efficient charities. The network’s expenses for 2004 were $3,035,709,486.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice uses 92 cents of every dollar donated for direct services. As a result, this year the organization was awarded the top four-star rating by Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of charities, for the fourth consecutive time for management of finances.

For more information on these nonprofit rankings, visit The NonProfit Times Web site at www.nptimes.com or The Chronicle of Philanthropy Web site at http://philanthropy.com/.

Donations to the Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice Christmas Appeal can be sent to P.O. Box 1805, Venice, FL 34284-1805.

Click here to donate by credit card. 

For more information please call 941-488-5581.