The Great Depression and World War II

Strengthening Families and Resolving Crisis

By 1932, one-third of New York City’s factories closed and nearly one out of every two men lost their jobs. Catholic Charities stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the downtrodden, broadening and expanding services to meet the nation’s growing needs. Its annual reports describe the “the weary grind of the unemployed in their unremitting search for an honest day’s work,” the dispossess notices, the short rations, the doubling up of two, three and four families living in a single tenement, and “the haunting fear that while today is bad tomorrow may be worse.” With government safety nets still in the planning stages, Catholic Charities became a crucial provider of emergency meals, financial assistance and expanded programs for the elderly. Claire and Elizabeth Sullivan, relatives of television personality Ed Sullivan, founded Casita Maria to help the unemployed secure jobs and housing. The Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) was created to offer children and teens a break from the relentless heat and hardships of New York through fresh-air camps, community centers, sports, recreational and after-school activities.

World War II’s death toll and devastation sparked further growth in Catholic Charities. Employment services and job programs were added to bolster returning veterans, and vital care was provided for widows and wives. Growing numbers of unsupervised youth escaped delinquency, thanks to expanded programs and vocational counseling provided by Cardinal McCloskey Services and other Catholic Charities agencies.