EUSTIS | Being diagnosed with one type of cancer is distressing. Being diagnosed with two while without insurance and far away from home could be too overwhelming. When a woman faced that situation, it was St. Luke’s Medical clinic, run by Catholic Charities of Central Florida, that gave her hope. Linda Gavino planned to move…

ORLANDO | A sea of white hairnets covered much of the Central Florida Fairgrounds hall Aug. 24, 2024, as more than 2,000 volunteers prepared meals for the hungry. Catholic Charities of Central Florida staff and volunteers joined Light Orlando in its annual event.Borne from the food insufficiency exacerbated by COVID, Light Orlando’s Hunger Project seeks…

ST. CLOUD  |  When Dr. Romualdo Dator had the idea of opening a free medical clinic in Osceola County, Bethanne Smith wanted to be a part of it. Fifteen years later, she is still taking care of patients with tenderness and love.The St. Thomas Aquinas parishioner had seen the struggles of the working poor firsthand. The…

An extremely grave amendment has been placed on the November 2024 ballot that seeks to erase pro-life protections by inserting language into the Florida Constitution prohibiting regulation of abortion. The amendment would allow late-term abortions, including when the baby is capable of feeling pain, and would eliminate laws requiring parental consent and safety protocols for…

After bus crash Catholic Charities offers counseling, necessities as farmworkers recover from injuries ORLANDO  |  The eating area of the Days Inn in Gainesville was filled with men, beleaguered by the past days’ events and still stunned by the bus accident that took the lives of eight of their own, just four days earlier. These…

ORLANDO | In response to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops National Campaign for Mental Health, the Diocese of Orlando is hosting a full-day conference on the subject. Coordinators hope the Catholic Mental Health Gathering will provide an opportunity for self reflection, education about mental health, and offer encouragement to provide avenues in which to…

APOPKA | Almost 80 Catholic Charities of Central Florida volunteers from different parts of the Diocese of Orlando were recognized April 13, 2024, for their dedication and hard work toward helping those in need. The volunteers served in various ministries such as Agape Mission Markets, Clinics, Family Stability, Comprehensive Refugee Services program, and Immigration and…

ORLANDO  |  Dhanush is 15 years old. As a young boy in India, he discovered a gift for technology. Seeing those less privileged around him, he wanted to share it by teaching computer skills to the less fortunate. He found that opportunity by serving refugees through Catholic Charities of Central Florida. In March, Dhanush taught…