National coalition promotes collaboration to better serve needy

Published: 2008-05-15

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Competitive and territorial barriers that once kept Catholic agencies from working too closely together are slowly breaking down in communities across the country in favor of stronger collaboration to better serve clients in need, according to a national organization that promotes the benefits of cooperation among church-based ministries. Cleveland-based Ministering Together has embarked on a new campaign to promote collaboration among Catholic Charities systems, Catholic hospitals, parishes and Catholic social service agencies as well as public entities in serving and advocating for families and sick, homeless, mentally ill and elderly people in need of multiple services. "The whole premise is built on the fact that we cannot do alone as well as what we can do together, and that we can serve God's people to a greater degree if you break down silos and look at the person as a whole person," said Sister Judith Ann Karam, president of the Cleveland-based Sisters of Charity Health System and a member of Ministering Together's executive committee.

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