Sister Jane Harrington has been elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities West Virginia (CCWVa).
“Sister Jane’s love for all West Virginians, as well as her understanding of board governance and the issues around poverty, make her a tremendous asset,” said Beth Zarate, CCWVa President and Chief Executive Officer. “Her sense of humor and warm personality make her a joy to work with. We are beyond excited to welcome her as our next Chairman of our Board of Directors.”
Harrington has served on the CCWVa Board of Directors since September 2013. Her passion to improve health and her dedication to reducing poverty have helped the agency work toward its mission of providing caring and compassionate services to those in need.
Harrington has served as Vice President of the CCWVa Board of Directors since 2017; she has also served on various committees, including the executive committee, finance committee, nominating committee and audit committee.
“I am continually inspired by the staff and board of Catholic Charities West Virginia – their generosity, hard work and genuine compassion manifested in their service to our neighbors,” said Harrington. “As I begin a term as Board Chairman, I am grateful for the opportunity to support them and our mission.”
Harrington is a member of the Congregation of St. Joseph and has significant experience in non-profit leadership and administration. Her expertise comes at an important time as the challenge for nonprofits continues to grow, with the pandemic and devastating weather events elevating needs.
“Sister Jane’s leadership will be instrumental as we discern a new 3-year strategic plan and continue our goals to offer services that provide the greatest impact and reduce poverty across the state,” said Zarate.
The next 3-year strategic plan will see a focus on a new hospital transition program partnership, placing a CCWVa social worker on site at hospitals around the state.
“The collaborative aspect of this project would promote the best utilization of community resources, and also provide an enhanced personal impact on the clients served through a more fluid transition from hospital to home,” said Zarate.
The hospital transition program model will improve the health, wellness and home stability of community members being discharged from the hospital; at the same time, the program will decrease the number of patients being readmitted, saving the hospital time and resources and strain on emergency rooms.
CCWVa’s last strategic plan focused on increasing collaboration and agency services around addiction and recovery. The agency increased adult education services in partnership with recovery homes around the state; additionally, a successful partnership with WV Jobs & Hope has provided over $310,000 in direct assistance.
“Sister Jane and the CCWVa Board of Directors are clearly focused on CCWV’a mission to best serve the most vulnerable West Virginians,” said Zarate. “We will continue to focus on adapting to changing times and reducing poverty across the state.”
