BELLEVILLE – Caritas Family Solutions has moved up in the rankings of the largest nonprofits in the St. Louis region. The 2022 report shows Caritas’ moved up from the 16th largest on the 2021 list to the 15th largest in 2022. The rankings were published in a St. Louis Business Journal based on the organization’s 2022 fiscal year operating budget. The nonprofit has an operating budget of $45 million.
Caritas Family Solutions services include foster care, pregnancy care for women experiencing homelessness, adoption, counseling and independent living for adults with disabilities among other service lines. The agency currently serves more than 7,000 people, including 2,300 foster children, throughout the Southern Illinois region.
“Right now, one in ten kids in the state of Illinois are being served by Caritas Family Solutions which gives you an indication of the impact we make across the region,” said Caritas Family Solutions CEO Gary Huelsmann. “But foster care is only one part of what we do. This year, we have hit a huge milestone, celebrating our 75th anniversary of helping families and communities become happier, healthier and stronger together. We know our programs and services touch lives and have the ability to impact families for generations to come.”
In addition to foster care, Huelsmann said several other Caritas programs have expanded over the last year including Fontebella Maternity Home, which is now the only maternity home in Southern Illinois that is a licensed child welfare institute. Caritas also opened an office in Glen Carbon, Illinois and expanded its Intact Family Services program, which is designed to provide early intervention for families who are at risk of having their children placed in foster care.
Founded in 1947, Caritas Family Solutions is a nonprofit social service agency whose mission is to strengthen the social and emotional well-being of individuals and families in order to create healthy relationships, loving homes, and strong communities. Services include adoption, pregnancy care for women who are homeless, foster care, counseling, residential treatment for children healing from abuse and/or neglect, independent living for adults with developmental disabilities (CILA), and assisted living and employment assistance for low-income seniors. Caritas serves more than 7,000 individuals annually across Southern Illinois from offices located in Belleville, Carterville, Mount Vernon, Olney, Glen Carbon, Alton, and Effingham as well as satellite locations in Highland and Sparta. For additional information, visit www.caritasfamilysolutions.org.
