CSSW Feature Stories

Our Commitment to Creating Safer Communities

April has been designated National Child Abuse Prevention Month, but our commitment to creating safer communities lasts all year. CSSW’s Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center (WCAC) works with legal, mental-health, medical, and law-enforcement professionals to create strong support systems for children and families suffering the trauma of child sexual abuse.

Click the link below to learn more about WCAC.

Show your support for safe communities at the  9th annual Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Day rally on April 27, 2017, at 11:00 AM. Sponsored by the Children’s Trust Fund of Michigan, this event will feature a procession and a pinwheel-garden planting. The blue pinwheel is the national symbol for child abuse and neglect prevention.

Learn more about this event:

 

 

Learn more about how to prevent child abuse:

 

 

 

 

Outstanding Speakers, Outstanding Attendees

Sponsored by Washtenaw County Elder Justice Coalition
and Blueprint for Aging

The Elder Justice Conference on Friday, March 24, was a ringing success! Keynote speaker Paul Greenwood, along with a host of experts and professionals in the community, challenged participants with new perspectives and information on the vexing problem of financial exploitation of our elders. The lack of public awareness of this problem is similar to that of domestic violence decades ago. Many participants concluded they were on the vanguard of an emerging social justice movement. Experts on both sides of the podium recognized the enormous potential, as well as need, for constructing both policies and treatments to address the complex issues around this problem.

Participants were clearly engaged and the response was very positive:

“Paul Greenwood was excellent.”

“Nice variety of disciplines.”

“Thank you for hosting Mr. Greenwood and the expert panel. I learned a lot about financial abuse and what signs to look for. I also appreciated all the information on victim’s rights. Thank you for continuing to host educational lectures to better our community.”

How Will You Show Your Devotion?

We are living in a country that is increasingly divided. Passions run deep. Blame is rampant, and it can feel like it’s dominating our lives. The neediest families served at Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw (CSSW) don’t have the luxury of political theory and speculation; their problems have immediate consequences that often lead to despair and hopelessness.

The season of Lent asks us to reflect on who we are, what sacrifices we will make, and how we will respond to our convictions. Your support demonstrates what you believe.

“You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. That’s how prayer works.”
—Pope Francis

Let’s work together to manifest the profound goodness of our beliefs—compassion, sacrifice, generosity, and a world view that insists on leaving no one behind. Are you willing to make your devotion abundantly clear this Lenten season?

Every financial gift makes a difference. We are grateful for your partnership.

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Larry Voight. He died unexpectedly on August 19.

Larry became President of Catholic Social Services in 1997 and was known as a major community influence and collaborator. The agency grew significantly under his leadership with the addition of entities including Father Pat Jackson House, Intentional Communities of Washtenaw, HelpSource, Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center, Neighborhood Senior Services, WITH Housing, and the Family Assessment Clinic, as he believed strongly in providing the support that good programs needed to continue. He developed and supported innovative programming to those most at risk in our community, and was especially committed to those who had nowhere else to turn. Larry also had a special passion for educating the next generation of social workers, locally at the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College and internationally at universities in South Korea, Hong Kong and Australia.

The Voight Family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the organization Larry devoted his professional life to:

Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County
C/O: Development Department
4925 Packard Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Or donate online now