Serving New Yorkers in need despite major federal cuts

Catholics worldwide rejoiced on May 8 at the news that Cardinal Robert Prevost had become the first American ever to be named pope – Pope Leo XIV, to be exact. As the world waits to see just what kind of pope he will be, especially in contrast to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who died on April 21, the daily work of Catholic charity goes on. On April 28, New York Nonprofit Media spoke with Beatriz Taveras Diaz, who has been the executive director of Catholic Charities Community Services of the Archdiocese of New York since 2008. (The executive director of Catholic Charities writ large is Msgr. Kevin Sullivan.) For an hour, Taveras Diaz, a native Manhattanite who held several positions in her agency before become its leader, talked about the severity of federal cuts to Catholic Charities' multipronged work serving vulnerable New Yorkers, how her Catholic faith informs her work and why, at 65, she's ready to start winding down her career.

This inerview has been edited for length and clarity.

Thank you so much for talking to us today. What has your day been like before this call and what will you do after?

I live in southwest Queens with my husband. Today I woke up at six a.m., got ready and then got a ride to our office on First Avenue and 55th Street in Manhattan by my husband, who continued on to his job. I got in here at 8:45 a.m., got my tea and then started my day answering emails. I've already had a couple meetings and after this call, I'll have more of them, including six-month reviews with the heads of my various divisions. We're also moving out of our current office space, so I have meetings about that as well. And I also talk weekly with Msgr. Sullivan.

Then tonight I'm going to a fundraising dinner for a sister agency, so I'll probably get home around 9:30 p.m. or 10 p.m. I usually go to bed between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. I also work from home about two days a week.

If we met at a cocktail party, how would you describe your agency to me?

I'd say that we're a multipronged social services organization with more than 800 employees and we touch more than 150,000 lives every year. We're made up of six different divisions. One is Beacon of Hope, which provides residential services for about 650 people with mental illness, most living on Staten Island or in the Bronx. We have three levels of care: 24/7 congregate [group] housing, those in their own apartments who get case manager visits and those living in the community with whom we touch base once a month.

Then we have CYO (Catholic Youth Organization), which helps parishes with their sports programs, primarily basketball. This year we had close to 14,000 young people playing basketball in our CYO season from November to March. We also do other programs with parishes like track and field, spring basketball and some volleyball.

Then we have Alianza services, which provide youth with after-school programs. But we're also embedded in certain high schools where we work with the staff to make sure kids graduate and have something to do after graduation. The program also includes after-school programs for young kids. And in our summer youth employee program, we'll be assisting more than 2,000 young people with summer jobs.

Then via our Food and Housing Stability division, we provide emergency food services through our own food pantries and parish-based pantries. And we also do eviction prevention programs. Then with our 10 neighborhood centers, we offer case management throughout Manhattan, the Bronx, lower Westchester County and Putnam County. This includes helping people who come to us for information and referrals, and helping them if they can't pay for their meds. And finally our immigrant and refugee services division provides legal immigration services, refugee resettlement services, ESL classes and services for day laborers.

Our operating budget this year started at $100 million, but with the elimination of federal contracts, we're probably going down to $90 million, if not $85 million. About 20% of all our funding is federal, but as of today, we've had contract terminations of $10 million, mostly in the immigrant and refugee services division.

What does that mean you're going to lose in terms of programming?

We've already had to end our services to unaccompanied minors, where we provide know-your-rights presentations and teach the young people what their immigration court procedures are going to be like. Our services to refugees, helping them assimilate into the country, have also been terminated.

These are cuts into the very core of your work. What has that been like?

Very difficult. Just last week, we had to issue layoff notices to 46 employees, and there will be more in the coming months. We're looking very prudently at how we can continue to best serve our clients given the funding we now have. More than 65% of our funding comes from city, state or federal government, with another percent coming through donations and foundations. But we just can't make up the $10 million loss of federal funds.

Do you have a lobbyist?

The national organization, Catholic Charities USA, is based in the D.C. area and they're very much aware of what's happening [with the federal cuts].

Have these federal attacks affected your immigrant and refugee clients?

They're still seeking services and want to know what they're eligible for, but yes, there is fear in the community.

What is your personal story that got you to your current position?

I grew up in Inwood, went to Syracuse University and then worked in the commercial world before becoming director of immigration services for Catholic Charities in the late 1980s. Then I became director of immigrant and refugee services, then assistant director to the COO, then special assistant to Msgr. Sullivan when he became executive director. Then in late 2008, I got my current job.

What did you learn from those prior positions that help you in your current position?

That you should always put people first, whether they're your clients or your employees. Really work with them, listen to them and see where you can help them. When I started here, we had an immigrant legalization program where people who'd been living here for many years would come to get their documentation in order and gain legal status in the U.S. I remember one gentleman came in, and when the case manager asked, "What's the first document you can show me?" he pulled out this little card he'd had since the 1940s – which he'd not known in all those years was his Green Card, his proof of legal residency. He broke down and cried because he'd not been back to Mexico, his home country, for more than 40 years for fear of not being let back into the U.S. because he thought he was undocumented. So our whole office rallied around him and said, "You can become a citizen." Once he realized he had permanent residency, he went back home to visit his family. It was very touching and he came back into the office several times to bring us gifts.

That's an amazing story. But tell us more about what skills you honed in your prior roles.

Again, it's listening to your employees. Sometimes you really have to take a step back and assess the situation, because you may be hearing only one side of the story. For example, when people come to us for financial assistance, we ask for documentation, proof of why the money is needed, which they sometimes get upset about. During the last recession, we had many new clients who'd been used to being on their own, doing well, and when they came to us for help, they'd sometimes say, "Why do you need paperwork? Why don't you just take my word for it?" We train our employees on how to work with difficult clients and deescalate a situation.

What are your greatest strengths as a leader?

Oh, my – I have no clue! I try to look for the positive in everyone. But that's generally just part of my personality. Even facing challenges, I try to go forward and find the silver lining. Also, my humility. In order to be a leader, you have to be humble, listen to other folks and take their suggestions. Sometimes their solutions are better than mine.

What's an area where you could do better?

Folks would say that I am too macro – that I don't dig into the weeds as often as I should. I let the division directors run their divisions and I only step in if I see some major problem. Otherwise, I'll let them go with their own solutions even when I disagree with them.

What have been the biggest challenges you've faced since coming into your role in 2008?

The response to the major disasters like Hurricane Sandy in 2012, where we had to stand up a large disaster response program in a minimal amount of time. We immediately staffed up on Staten Island, hiring folks who could speak with the clients about their housing situations, how they could fix their houses. We hired case managers that would walk the clients through how to apply for FEMA, apply for insurance and have contractors come out to give them bids.

What are you proudest of since 2008?

The growth of the agency. When I came into my role, we were at $30 million and now it's $100 million. And I'm proud of our disaster responses I mentioned. We're really able to be present for the community.

How much longer do you want to stay in your role?

Not much longer, believe it or not. Someone will actually be succeeding me in my role starting in mid-May and I'll become the director of public and community engagement and government relations. 

Oh, so you'll become a lobbyist and advocate. What'll be your approach given the current climate in Washington, D.C.?

I'll probably start on a less hostile note and really try to talk to our friends there, while being guided by Catholic Charities USA. We have Republicans among our friends. Being with Catholic Charities means being able to walk across the aisle. I'll be fully retiring in a year, so this is a good step-down. I've had a lot of friends who've transitioned in their jobs to a less involved role and they all tell me it was the best thing they could've done. It gave them a chance to slow down and get ready for retirement. 

Does your Catholic faith inform your work?

Yes, this job allows me to live out my faith because it is core to the gospel of Matthew – feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless and welcoming the stranger.

What is it like doing the work you do right now under the Trump administration? How do you cope with it?

I pray. And I don't mean that facetiously. This is an unfortunate time but President Trump was never shy about what he was going to do. He's carrying out his campaign promises. I knew this was coming down the pike, so as an agency we need to prepare for whatever may happen and be fully aware of our risks, such as which programs may be eliminated in the upcoming years. Again, it's difficult but you also have to move forward. We're still helping people, and that's what's most important. Our logo says "providing health and creating hope." We're still doing that.