Earlier this month, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston (CCAB) Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Board Chair Kevin M. MacKenzie as chief executive officer. Mr. MacKenzie has been serving as interim president and CEO since Dec. 1, 2019.

Mr. MacKenzie led CCAB's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that during this public health crisis, Catholic Charities' critical shelters, food pantries, telehealth, immigration, and other critical services remained operational and open to care for those most vulnerable in our communities.

"We are pleased that Kevin has accepted the board's offer to serve as the president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Boston," said Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley. "The work of Catholic Charities is especially important now as so many more people in our community need assistance and it is our collective responsibility to act. In just a few short months, Kevin has had an immediate positive impact in advancing the mission of Catholic Charities, leading a dedicated team committed to the social justice mission of the Church and balancing increased demand with available resources." Mr. MacKenzie will continue to serve as board chair, a position he has held since January 2019.

"Leading CCAB as interim president for these last few months has been inspiring. During these challenging times, I've worked with our teams and observed their incredible commitment to meeting the growing needs of families that rely on us every day. I'm also tremendously grateful for the amazing generosity and support we have received from our donors, advocates, and the overall community," said MacKenzie. "The professionals who comprise this agency are determined, hardworking and passionate about serving our community. I am honored and privileged to accept the responsibility of this role."

Catholic Charities fiscal year ended June 30 and, in the near term, the agency will be focused on continuing to evaluate how they respond to the increased need for assistance during the pandemic while also beginning to assess their overall strategic direction for the future. Recently, in accordance with Gov. Charlie Baker's plan, CCAB re-opened their childcare services, which was an important component in helping to support families as we begin the process to reopen workplaces. As the agency begins to develop a rhythm in the current environment, MacKenzie says his focus will remain on critical services and needs of the families in the communities they serve.

"The economic impact of COVID-19 has been devastating. Since March, we have experienced a five-fold increase in the number of families needing help trying to put food on the table. As we assess the unemployment forecasts and the correlation to the impact on food security, the outlook is sobering. The projections indicate that demand for food will continue to increase and we are committed to providing families with life's basic necessities as we all work hard to manage through the recovery process.

As one of the largest providers of social services in Massachusetts, Catholic Charities of Boston offers over 70 programs and services in 23 locations around Eastern Massachusetts. From Lawrence to Brockton and Natick to Boston, our service sites throughout Eastern Massachusetts helped 175,000 of our neediest neighbors of all faiths last year.

CHRISTINE COFFEY IS THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF BOSTON.