Worldwide, 1 in 8 people live in slums or slum-like conditions, and those from developing countries typically suffer most. In places like Haiti and Guatemala, for example, poor families seek shelter in houses built with sticks, discarded plastic, metal sheets, scrap lumber and cardboard, with no plumbing or electricity. Your support for Cross Catholic Outreach empowered Catholic ministries to build or repair houses for these families in need. The priests, sisters and Catholic lay missionaries serving overseas know that God’s Word is true: “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1), and that’s why they keep the Gospel at the center of their mission to house the destitute. The gift of safe shelter gives families a solid foundation on which to build the rest of their lives!

In 2020, your compassion provided safe shelter for families in 12 countries. In Haiti, your support empowered Father Glenn Meaux and his team at Kobonal Haiti Mission to build 60 safe, sturdy homes with latrines for 514 people and repaired an additional 60 homes for a total of 607 people. New houses include four rooms, a porch, a sturdy cement foundation, and a waterproof, galvanized steel roof.

In the Dominican Republic, FUNDASEP, the Diocese of San Juan de la Managua’s outreach arm, built eight new homes, repaired nine additional houses and constructed 16 latrines for families in need. The ministry uses a low-cost, durable design that effectively shelters poor Dominican families and withstands powerful storms using concrete panels and metal frames.