Over 65 years ago, Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County (CSSW) was established to change the lives of some of the most vulnerable persons in our community. At the start, CSSW focused on the needs of pregnant women and families, including the provision of food. Decades later, these foundational services remain active, alongside 16 additional programs, serving persons at every age and every stage of life, from infants to seniors, all sharing the goals of transforming lives through compassionate service.
After many years of dedicated service to our Washtenaw County neighbors, Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County is changing its name to Catholic Charities Washtenaw County. We announced this change in early 2024; after completing the necessary legal steps, we are now moving forward with changing our logo and branding to reflect our new name. Over the coming months, you will notice our logo and name changing on all our communications, including information about our services, our website, and all print materials.
Although our name is changing, our commitment to maximize impact by offering relevant, innovative, and meaningful service that meets current and evolving community needs remains constant.
As part of the national Catholic Charities organization, we look forward to bringing the organization into better alignment with our peers across the Diocese, State, and nation, many of which bear the “Catholic Charities” name. Just as importantly, we are looking forward to further underscoring the central part that charity—love of neighbor—plays in our mission, as we serve our neighbors. Having the word “Charity” in our name will be a constant reminder of our “why”, which is love. The word “caritas”, after all, means “love”. Our work is to see and honor the innate dignity of the people we serve; that dignity surpasses any current challenge or circumstance, and it comes from the fact that they are imbued with it —and loved by— God.
We look forward to continuing to serve our community for many years to come, as we work together to transform lives. Learn more about Our Mission.