Caritas Corner | “I Had Nowhere To Go”

BY ANDY BARTON

“I had nowhere to go.”

This is a phrase we often hear from those who turn to Catholic Charities for help.  It is voiced by mothers unable to afford diapers or formula, by families facing eviction, by individuals sleeping on the streets, and by immigrants seeking a legal pathway to citizenship. They arrive at our doors in Castle Rock and Colorado Springs — tired, frightened, and hungry. For these individuals, Catholic Charities represents their last hope.

While our commitment to this work is rooted in our Catholic faith, we operate within the framework of the state, which also bears a responsibility to its people. For this reason, we closely monitor government actions at all levels.  Currently, at the top of the list are President Trump’s executive orders and Congress’s budget negotiations.  While part of our interest lies in the funding we receive through government grants, the broader concern is how proposed cuts to departments like HUD and programs such as SNAP and Medicaid will affect those living on the margins.  If these supports are lost, many more people will be turning to Catholic Charities for help.

Catholic Charities of Central Colorado administers government grants and, thus far, has not experienced direct funding cuts.  In our upcoming fiscal year, we have budgeted 11% of our contributed revenue to come from both state and federal government funding. This is a significant decrease from 21% in our current fiscal year and 42% in 2022 during the peak of COVID-related funding. Most of this funding goes directly to clients, primarily as rent assistance. Therefore, any cuts would directly impact our ability to serve those in our community who are at imminent risk of homelessness.

The larger concern lies in potential cuts to food and health care programs.  The budget resolution proposed by the House includes a $230 billion reduction to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade.  SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is the largest federal initiative addressing hunger and food insecurity among low-income Americans.  Such cuts would have devastating consequences for vulnerable households across our 10-county Diocese, exacerbating food insecurity, especially for families.  Sixty percent of SNAP recipients are families with children; in El Paso County alone, more than 30,000 children benefit from this program.  Cuts to Medicaid or reductions in Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding would have equally dire ramifications for those living on the margins.

It is easy to blame politicians or the government for these challenges. Republicans often cite “fraud, waste, and abuse” as justification for cuts, while Democrats label such measures as draconian and cruel. The truth likely lies somewhere in between. Government spending plays a critical role in the social safety net of the United States, but the state shares this responsibility with both the charitable nonprofit sector and, more importantly, the church. Both are explicitly charged with relieving the burden on government by virtue of their tax-exempt status. 

This principle was eloquently expressed by Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in America. He admired America’s tradition of collective problem-solving through associations — especially churches — and described it as “self-interest rightly understood,” where helping others ultimately benefits individuals and communities alike.  Tocqueville believed this strengthened democracy while reducing reliance on government intervention. Government support for the poor should never overshadow the Christian works of mercy.

Catholic Charities’ mission to care for the poor is not founded in government funding but in Jesus Christ: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” If Congress reduces funding for SNAP or Medicaid, or if food and transportation costs continue to rise, more people will turn to us for assistance.  If the government cuts grants, then we will need funding from somewhere or someone else.  But we will keep going, never closing our doors to those with nowhere else to go.

Andy Barton is the President and CEO of Catholic Charities of Central Colorado. This column was first published in the May 2025 issue of Helping Hands quarterly newsletter.