A new report offers a detailed picture of just how much Los Angeles-area Catholics have stepped up to help those in need since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “LA Catholics Make an Impact” one-year report tracks the different charity efforts based in the Archdiocese of Angeles.
In March 2020, the Office of Life, Justice and Peace launched the “Hearts to Serve” hotline in response to the pandemic, which connected people in need with food pantries and financial aid resources. Over the past year, the hotline received more than 2,000 calls and referred more than 1,000 families to aid resources across the archdiocese.
A Heart to Serve client benificiary with her newly delivered food donation. (Archdiocese of Los Angeles)
The report also estimates more than $10 million was used to help families across the archdiocese from March 2020 through April 2021, and some 3 million meals served to students in need through the Catholic Schools Food Service Program.
Catholic Charities of Los Angeles served more than 230,000 families and individuals, while more than 85,000 items of Personal Protective Equipment were distributed to Catholic schools in the archdiocese.
But their aid wasn’t all focused on physical needs — 180,000 Masses were celebrated over the last year, on livestream, in-person, inside, and outside, in more than 40 languages. 
“Our Catholic community, through partnerships with other faith-based and nonprofit organizations, as well as civic agencies, delivered assistance where it was needed most,” said Kathleen Domingo, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Life, Justice, and Peace. “Together, we have weathered the pandemic.”
To view the full report, visit LACatholics.com/Impact.
