By Katie Ginn
Christina Bach is executive director of Catholic Charities, Inc., of Jackson.
On June 18, Catholic Charities of Jackson will host its annual Bishop’s Ball fundraiser in Jackson. MCL Editor Katie Ginn recently spoke with Executive Director Christina Bach about this multifaceted ministry.
Katie Ginn: What is the mission of Catholic Charities?
Christina Bach: Our ministry is to be a visible sign of Christ’s love to the community. And that’s whoever we might find. We focus on the poor and vulnerable in our communities. We tend to find unduplicated services where there’s a need, and then we try to meet that need in our local communities. (Catholic Charities of Jackson serves) 65 counties in the state.
KG: What kind of needs do y’all meet in the Jackson area?
CB: We were asked in the ’80s to take on the second shelter for battered families in the state. So that’s how we ended up having our Jackson Victim Services program. We fully serve eight counties, and then we offer mobile crisis support to nine additional counties. Also, with our shelter, we have the Rape Crisis Center program.
A big program we have right now is our Kinship Navigator program, (which) helps families that have taken in children who are not born to them. We have a foster care program specifically for unaccompanied refugee minors; we have a program where we’re in a home three or four times a week to support families and keep the children with them; and we have a Post Adoption program where we offer support after you’ve adopted.
One of the programs we talk about a lot is our Born Free program, one of only two in the state that offers substance-abuse treatment for pregnant women or women who have young children. So it’s a good way for women to remain sober during pregnancy and give birth to babies free of drugs, and also a way for families to be able to stay together.
KG: Do people have to be Catholic in order to receive these services?
CB: Absolutely not. Probably over 90 percent of (the people) we serve are non-Catholics. We don’t even ask the question.
KG: How do you raise most of your money?
CB: We have individual donors, and we have corporate donors. We have taken advantage of the Children’s Promise Tax Credit, (which) allows individuals or businesses to receive a tax credit when they support us.
We also have a lot of grant funding through CPS, the Department of Health, and the Department of Mental Health.
We have some programs that (we charge fees for), like our adoption program. We accept insurance, too.
KG: Tell me about the Bishop’s Ball fundraiser.
CB: It is (on Thursday) June 18 at 6:00 (p.m.), at the Westin downtown. We provide valet parking. We put our pretty clothes on and come out and celebrate. We are honoring this year Fr. Burke Masters, who is a priest, but he was a big baseball star in the ’90s at Mississippi State. We’re also honoring Tommy Turk, a local legend around here who, through the years, has done the Squat and Gobble (fundraiser) for domestic violence.
The best way to buy tickets is to call 601-331-1152 or go to the website, Event.gives/bb26. Tickets are $150, and we have sponsorships starting at $1,500 for a table of 10.