Letter from Stephen Carattini, President & CEO of Catholic Charities

Dear Friends,

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington is blessed to serve the poor and disadvantaged in the 21 counties of our Diocese. Our mission could not be accomplished without the steadfast support of our employees, volunteers, and the many benefactors who provide financial support for our various ministries. It is truly a privilege to work with all these supporters and our clients. With these blessings, however, comes an important responsibility – one that cannot be taken lightly.

We are mindful that the trust and confidence you have placed in us to carry out our mission must be honored with responsible stewardship of our resources – and with open and transparent management of those resources. To ensure we administer all our resources responsibly, we have many safeguards in place. One is that all financial, budgetary, operational, and ethical matters are monitored by the governing Board of Directors, which oversees all Catholic Charities ministries and initiatives. A second is the annual review of the financial records and operations of Catholic Charities by an independent auditing firm separate and apart from the agency.

In 2019, Catholic Charities added another safeguard to ensure effective oversight of its operations. We established an independent EthicsPoint hotline virtually identical to the toll-free hotline established by the Diocese in 2010. This new hotline, available in both English and Spanish, provides a confidential method of reporting financial, accounting, operational, and administrative concerns, as well as issues relating to ethical misconduct.

All reports will be taken seriously and will be promptly investigated. In addition, individuals using the hotline will be granted anonymity if requested, but in any event their identity will be protected to the greatest extent possible. Importantly, retaliation of any kind directed at a reporting individual will be strictly forbidden.

This hotline is an important additional safeguard in our management of resources to ensure ethical behavior and care for those we serve. I encourage employees who perceive possible misuse of Catholic Charities assets, or unethical practices, to report such concerns. Catholic Charities depends upon the trust of those we serve and those who support our work. We are committed to best practices and a transparent, accountable process. Let us continue to work together in building a culture of transparent stewardship and fiscal accountability.

Thank you for your support of those in need through the work of Catholic Charities.

Gratefully,

Stephen Carattini
President & CEO
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington