In 1912, the groundwork for Catholic Charities was laid with the founding of St. Joseph{s Orphanage. In the following years, other institutions were also opened to serve children, families and other people in need.  Among these was a boardinghouse for young working women, a maternity home, and St. Ann{s Home for the Elderly.In 1927, Catholic Charities expanded its services to include adoption, foster care and pregnancy counseling.  Its mission was to make Christ{s love for all human beings a visible and living reality for those in need.The needs of our society have changed dramatically since the early 1900s. In turn, the work of the Agency has also changed.  In recent years, there has been a national trend away from institutions toward smaller group homes for provision of services to specialized populations. Our Lady of Victory Maternity Home, serving pregnant women and infants, closed in the mid-seventies.  St. Joseph{s Orphanage closed in 1990 due to a lack of adequate funding by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.  St. Ann{s Home for the Elderly was operated under Catholic Charities{ umbrella for many years until a new St. Ann{s Nursing Home opened in 1992 under the administration of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.Catholic Charities has adapted to changing times and trends in delivery of social services. The Agency still provides the following direct services: pre- and post- adoption services; pregnancy counseling; marriage, family and individual counseling; immigration legal services; refugee resettlement; emergency rent and utility assistance; disaster relief; homeless services; faith community nursing; and parish outreach.There is a strong emphasis on providing training and support to parishes so that they may answer their Gospel call to helping the poor and vulnerable. Through the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, we work to eliminate the underlying causes of poverty and injustice.Catholic Charities has a long history of providing loving care to those in need.  With your help we will continue to reach out to others in mercy, charity, and justice.