By: Micah Underwood, Grant Manager at CCWVa
What’s in the name? If you’ve ever wondered why we’re called Catholic Charities West Virginia (or some variation of that question), this post is for you. What’s with the Catholic part? you might think. (Keep reading for the answer.) Or maybe Do you have to be Catholic to get help from them? (No. Anyone who qualifies can receive help through CCWVa programs. If you or someone you know needs help, click here to find an office near you: https://www.ccwva.org/locations/.
So let’s break it down. Why Catholic Charities West Virginia?
The West Virginia part is easy. That’s where we’re located, and the people we serve primarily live in the Mountain State. In our Wheeling-based Catholic Charities Neighborhood Center, our food pantry might also see neighbors from across the river in Ohio.
The Catholic part is pretty straightforward, too. In 1931, the Diocese of Wheeling (now the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston) united the many Catholic charitable outreach services available in the area under the name “Catholic Charities.”
Fun fact: That same year, the state of West Virginia also consolidated the many government-led efforts in service of West Virginians in need.
The agency that would become Catholic Charities West Virginia began under the direction of Rev. Joseph Daly and was first located at what is now the Rectory of Saint Joseph Cathedral in Wheeling, W. Va. In 1975, Catholic Charities was reorganized as an independent, self-governing agency. At that time, we changed our name to Catholic Community Services, Inc., and then, in 2008, we became Catholic Charities West Virginia (CCWVa).
Today, we’re part of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), a collective of agencies working “to provide service to people, families and communities in need, to advocate for justice in social structures and to call the entire church and all people of good will to do the same.” To learn more about CCUSA and the critical work member agencies are doing with neighbors all over the country, visit their website: https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/.
In practice, what does the Catholic part of our identity mean to us?
From our founding, we have been driven by a commitment to Catholic Social Teaching, a set of biblically grounded values that expresses how we, as people, take responsibility for one another and the world in which we live. Even as our agency has grown, our team has evolved, and our communities have shifted, that commitment has not changed.
2026 marks 95 years of Catholic Charities West Virginia. Over those nine and a half decades, we have been blessed to walk alongside our neighbors through challenges from the everyday to the disastrous. This work has only been possible because of the communities we serve. Your generosity of time, resources, and prayer has sustained us through times of abundance and through the leaner years. You have fed, clothed, housed, and encouraged your neighbors, and we are grateful to continue in this work with you.
To learn more about the transformation you’ve made possible and how you can continue to make an impact through CCWVa in your community, read our Mission Moments blog or visit our website for information on giving or volunteering.
