In a united effort, concerned clients, staff, and community members are disappointed in the service reductions and layoffs coming to Catholic Community Services (CCS) in Pierce County. CCS is one of the largest and most comprehensive social services agencies in our county. Without these services, our community is missing a hub for shelter, warm food, connection, clothing, and a stable mailing address.

CCS leadership has stated these decisions are due to the uncertain funding landscape, a budget deficit, and an unwillingness to use discretionary funding to sustain programs that do not break even or generate profit. In other words, services that lose money, even if they serve those most in need, are being cut so that other programs and administrative priorities can be preserved. CCS leadership is treating this moment like a business closure instead of a community responsibility, abandoning those who depend on these services to survive. 

Management enacted unilateral decisions without input from the community partners, guests, and staff and continues to deny the community the transparency we deserve. Due to the political climate, now more than ever, we call on leadership to act with moral courage and prioritize our mission and human dignity.

• Stop cuts to services and staffing
• Prioritize staff retention instead of excessive administrative overhead
• If closures do continue, CCS must:
  • Delay programming changes and staff elimination until October 1, 2025
  • Implement a fair layoff process that gives maximum advanced notice for all employees (45 days)
  • Layoffs preserve the most senior staff
  • Ensure all open positions are frozen and held for laid-off employees without a need to reapply/interview
  • As remaining CCS staff are expected to absorb their former coworkers’ assignments and responsibilities, increase wages for increased workloads
  • Provide a clear, written 4 week notice of the services impacted and a transition plan to clients, staff, and community partners. 

These changes, and the mishandling of them, will aggrandize suffering experienced by us and our neighbors in Pierce County. The day shelter closure coinciding with the majority of all other shelters in the Tacoma area being shut down will have deep ramifications on us all. People will lose shelter, go hungry, and some will die.

Sign this petition to let CCS know that you support the demands and stand in solidarity with our guests, coworkers, and neighbors who feel the brunt of CCS leadership’s destabilizing decisions.