Catholic Social Services

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Giving is Golden

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Cooking for a Cause 2018 GuestsCooking for a Cause 2018

Scio Church Road, flanked by early-autumn trees turning amber and gold in the afternoon sun, seemed to beckon guests forward to the elegant Frutig Farms. The dazzling light perfectly matched the warm smiles of friends and families, gathering together to strengthen, support, and heal those among us who are hurting the most.

And our guests were well rewarded with absolutely incredible food! Choosing between Zingerman’s Roadhouse Limeade Swordfish, The Standard Bistro and Larder’s Porchetta and Risotto Milanese, Barton Hills’s Seared Scallops with Autumn Risotto, Katherine’s Catering’s Cider Braised Pork with Coconut Rice, The Moveable Feast’s Salmon and Maine Blue Crab Napoleon, Saline High School Culinary Arts Program’s Prime Rib Sliders, Silvio’s  Organic Ristorante e Pizzeria’s Pasta Norma, and Weber’s Prime Rib Au Jus with Horseradish Sauce, was no easy task. But somebody had to do it, and our guests rose to the task…

Cooking for a Cause Top Chef of 2018 :

Chef Chris Lothamer of Barton Hills Country Club

Runner-Up Top Chef:

Chef Cole Thornton of Katherine’s Catering

Congratulations from all of us at CSSW!

We are so grateful to all of our competitors, sponsors, supporters, and friends! Special thanks to Ed and Kelly Frutig for the use of their lovely, sun-dappled farm; sportscaster Jim Brandstatter and Dr. Kim Eagle for running a highly-entertaining and successful live auction; guests that dined with us, bought raffle tickets, and bid on our auction items; our event committee; and the many volunteers that came together to make this celebration such a delight. Your giving hearts are golden!

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Thank You Knights of Columbus of Saline!

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Golfing for a Cause!
From Left: Lupe Bravo, Peg Bravo (CSSW President and CEO), Susan Valasco (CSSW Vice President Finance), & Robert Rybicki

Golfing for a Cause!

The heat and humidity were no match for golfers determined to support Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County last month! On Sunday, August 26 the Saline Knights of Columbus Council #6674 ran their Charity Golf Outing to benefit the programs and services CSSW—programs that serve the most vulnerable members of our community. The Charity Golf Outing, held at Rustic Glen Golf Club in Saline, was a great success, with prizes awarded to all participants and a delicious dinner served at the club. All of us at CSSW are very grateful for the support of the Saline Knights of Columbus and all of the golfers who participated!

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See our Save the Date card here!

Freedom to Grow

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Livingston County Offender Success garden bed

Livingston County Offender Success Garden

Livingston County Offender Success is bringing the joy of gardening to its returning citizens. The garden was built at one of the transitional houses that keep returning-citizens safe and off the streets. Staff from Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County worked with multiple agencies in Livingston County to make the garden possible. A $100 Meijer gift card donation from Gleaners Community Food Bank paid for tools, seeds, seedlings, and fencing to keep critters out of the garden.

The Gleaners Community Food Bank Community-Garden Coordinator, Courtney, worked closely with Tiffany Snay, CSSW’s Livingston County Offender Success Resource Specialist, to plan a day to dig the garden. Courtney even provided a rototiller to prep the land. Unfortunately, when the big “dig day” came, said rototiller stopped working.

But that didn’t stop the aspiring farmers living at the transitional house. They just grabbed some shovels and got to work. Together, the men created a garden bed—a little space for something new to grow. They planted Nasturtium (edible flowers!), peas, green beans, okra, strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, arugula, swiss chard, and a variety of herbs—right along with their hopes for a better tomorrow.

But the local groundhogs seemed to have other plans. Fearing their garden would be compromised at its roots, the gardeners reached out to their network of resources to obtain two traps. The groundhogs were safely caught and re-settled at Kensington Metropark. 

St. Agnes’ parish in Fowlerville heard about the Offender Success garden through staff from the Gleaners Community Food Bank, and have since expressed interest in funding the program so it can expand! Any overflow produce from the garden will be donated to one of the numerous produce stands in Livingston County. Next on the gardeners’ wish list: a rain barrel to minimize water cost. 

The Livingston Offender Success garden is maintained by residents at the house. Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County operates the Offender Success programs for Washtenaw, Livingston, Jackson, Hillsdale, Lenawee, and Monroe counties. Offender Success is a statewide collaborative with the mission to significantly reduce crime and enhance public safety through structured community engagement and opportunities. Learn more about our Offender Success program here:

Crime is a symptom. Be a part of the solution—support our programs:

See our Save the Date card here!

Birth Mother’s Day Success

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Birth Mother’s Day 2018 was a wonderful success! Over 50 guests enjoyed the fun, food, and camaraderie of this very special celebration. And we couldn’t have done it without the help of our hard-working staff, volunteers, and sponsors.

If you’d like to learn more about our Pregnancy Counseling program, click here:

To learn more about our Adoption program, click here:

Welcome Peg Bravo!

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Meet Our New President and CEO

We are delighted to welcome Peg Bravo as our new president and CEO! Peg began her term on April 16, 2018, and has since been busy getting to know our dedicated staff and board of directors.

Peg brings a dynamic range of skills to her new position. She has been a registered nurse for over thirty years, ensuring her appreciation of and commitment to client needs. Numerous clinical and leadership roles inform her broad view of organizations and systems in the healthcare industry. Her executive experience in operating multiple health-system and college wellness centers across the country will be invaluable for an organization of Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County’s size and scope.

Peg also brings her experience and knowledge serving as a trustee on both the Saint Joseph Mercy Chelsea Board and the United Methodist Retirement Communities Board.

Peg has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Detroit Mercy and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.

“CSSW is excited to have Peg join the organization as president and CEO,” remarked Pamela Jones-Sexton, board chairman. “She has a strong commitment to our mission of serving those most vulnerable in our community and continuing the legacy and excellent work of Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County.”

Please join us in welcoming Peg to our CSSW family!

See our Save the Date card here!