FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 20, 2026
Contact: Santino R. Thomas
(518) 949-4809 | sthomas@st-cath.org
Follow Us: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter
A ribbon cutting marked the expansion of services for St. Catherine’s Center for Children
ALBANY, N.Y. – Today, in partnership with the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, St. Catherine’s Center for Children – a leading, regional human services agency – held a ribbon cutting ceremony at 886 Columbia St. in Hudson to open its new office. The event, which marks an expansion of St. Catherine’s services into Columbia County, was attended by several local elected officials and community partners.
“We are thrilled to have a new base of operations to offer our services to Columbia County residents,” said St. Cathreine’s Executive Director Kevin Doherty. “Our agency has worked with foster families and kinship families within the county for several years. This new office in Hudson will now allow better access to services for those families while enabling us to expand the number of programs we can offer to those in need in the region. Our doors are open and we are ready to serve Columbia County.”
In its 140th year serving New York’s Capital Region and beyond, St. Catherine’s Center for Children offers a comprehensive range of human services including: Foster Care, Kinship Caregiving, Children & Family Treatment & Support Services and more. St. Catherine’s also operates Homeless & Housing Services in both Albany and Columbia counties.
“Every child and family deserves stability and the chance to thrive. St. Catherine’s Center for Children has been a lifeline in our region, bringing compassionate and supportive services to some of our most vulnerable residents,” said Sen. Michelle Hinchey. “We’re glad that state funding is helping St. Catherine’s expand their services in Columbia County and establish a welcoming home base in Hudson so that more families can access the care they deserve.”
“The wide range of services offered by St. Catherine’s actively addresses community members’ needs, and we are happy to be expanding those offerings in Columbia County,” said Mark Quail, Associate Executive Director for Permanency & Family Support. “In addition to our homeless and housing services currently operating in Columbia County, we are adding kinship caregiving and permanency resource center services in our new Hudson office. Through funding from the Office of Children and Family Services these programs support adoptive parents, guardians, and kinship caregivers.”
St. Catherine’s Kinship Caregiver Program and Permanency Resource Center services, now expanded to serve Columbia County, offer case management activities, 1: 1 counseling, peer support groups for adults, children’s support groups, respite care, family engagement events, and educational activities such as valuable parenting skills development. Additional programming and services out of the Hudson office will include Children and Family Treatment and Support Services and Children’s Health Home Care Management.
While based primarily out of the Capital Region and Hudson Valley, St. Catherine’s programs and services have an impact throughout the state. From Albany to Buffalo and the North Country to Long Island, St. Catherine’s Center for Children serves ten New York State regions, 37 counties, and 54 school districts.
What They Are Saying:
“The new St. Catherine’s Center for Children office in Hudson is a welcome addition to our community, offering a variety of services to children and families across Columbia County,” said Assemblymember Didi Barrett. “I congratulate St. Catherine’s on their grand opening and encourage my constituents to explore the many resources they provide, including caregiver support, transportation services, hearing and vision screenings, and therapy.”
“I’m thrilled that St. Catherine’s is expanding their services with a new location in Hudson,” said Joseph Ferris, Mayor of Hudson. “The range of services they provide will be a boon for a wide swath of people who not only live in Hudson, but across Columbia County. I look forward to working with St. Catherine’s as they bring their 140 years of experience to bear in our supporting the needs of our community.”
“Our agency looks forward to expanding our relationship with St. Catherine’s,” said Columbia County Department of Social Services Commissioner Robert Gibson. “The services on offer will greatly enhance our ability to serve the children and families of the County.”
“On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, I want to welcome St. Catherine’s Center for Children and their programs to the City of Hudson and all of Columbia County,” said Columbia County Chamber of Commerce President Bill Gerlach Supporting families post adoption and post-guardianship brings a much-needed resource to our community!”
The willingness of St. Catherine’s Center for Children to embrace change and develop new services is, and will remain, our guiding philosophy as we support human service needs, throughout the region, by providing a comprehensive range of services designed to offer hope, foster growth and improve the lives of the children, families and adults we serve. For more information, http://www.st-cath.org.
###