As Lauren Spearman prepared for her high school graduation, she had a clear goal in mind—to attend law school.

“Law school never occurred,” she joked. “I took one social work class and decided social services was for me.”

When looking for a new job during the pandemic, Spearman notes that her interview is what brought her to Catholic Community Services.

“It was a breath of fresh air, and I just knew this is where I wanted to be. It is a family atmosphere, and I could feel that in my interview.”

Spearman is now the Assistant CUA Director for Catholic Community Services (CCS), a ministry under Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Community Umbrella Agency (CUA #4) is designated by the Philadelphia Department of Human Services.

In her role, Spearman often is called upon to help individuals and families in crisis.

“I deal with not only case management, but also prevention. When there is an issue, I volunteer my services.”

A believer of “management by way of walking” Spearman makes sure she is available to all, whether it be speaking to a family needing services at CCS, making a home visit, or attending court with a staff member to be up to date with current cases. She emphasizes the need to make sure all clients leave knowing CCS is there for them and to serve them.

“Some people do this for a job; I do this because it is my calling.”

One memorable client for Spearman was Kelly.

“She was the most difficult parent, but she was also my favorite.”

Spearman worked with Kelly for two years to help her reunite with her children and “she fought us every step of the way.”

Following reunification, Kelly reached out to Spearman to express her gratitude to the CCS team for guiding her through the process and listening to her needs.

“That ‘thank you’ was enough because she realized all of the things that I did for her. Even when she was upset with me, I still continued to assist her and guide her to where I needed her to be,” said Spearman. “I knew she wanted to be with her children and her children wanted to be with her.”

Having worked for many different CUAs, Spearman points to CCS’ mission as what separates the ministry from her other experiences.

“The organization is not only mission driven, but also lives by the mission. You do not need to be Catholic to work here, but it is faith-based. Anything that is faith-based is a different light, a different mission. You are walking in the image of God.”

Lauren Spearman (center) with members of the Catholic Community Services team at their 10th anniversary celebration.

CCS plays an impactful role in the Greater Northeast section of Philadelphia, highlighting Catholic Social Services’ mission of strengthening and supporting at-risk children, youth, and families through case management, prevention services, and community engagement.

“It might be food insecurity, a baby without diapers, or a child dealing with abuse, but without us stepping in we might not be able to ensure the safety, well-being, and permanency of the children in the Northeast.”

Case management is an essential component of CCS, helping their clients access the health and social services they need while also being the primary link with the children and families the ministry serves. Spearman explains that CCS works with their clients until reunification, family stabilization, or a different permanency goal such as adoption or legal custodianship is found.

71 children and youth were reunified with their parents or successfully adopted in 2023. 133 families were also successfully discharged.

Another key component of the work CCS performs is prevention and intervention. Working closely with the case management team, the service works with families to ensure safety and advocates for those who are in crisis or transition. Utilizing a strength-based approach to parent engagement, focusing on a person’s strengths, rather than their weaknesses, the prevention team supervises visits, assists with medical and behavioral health needs, actively engages all caregivers, recruits potential resource parents, and engages the at-risk teen population.

The ministry’s work also expands to community engagement events.

“We bring the community together and try to prevent them from coming into child welfare services by providing community engagement events.”

These events include parent cafés, donation drives, a diaper bank, and the ministry’s annual Operation Bundle Up community giveaway event, where they provide cold-weather essentials to families prior to the upcoming winter season.

In 2024, over 800 people joined CCS for the community giveaway. CCS staff and volunteers distributed winter coats, hats, gloves, and a variety of other cold-weather essentials to individuals and families facing obstacles to obtaining winter necessities. In addition, over 70 pounds of food and 400 toys were given away at the event.

To learn more, please visit https://ccs-cua4.org/.