By Sue Denny • Posted May 18, 2026

Jessica Quinn’s passion for advocacy was born when she was a student at Ascension of Our Lord Parish Elementary School in Kensington.

The seed was planted when she attended the Out of School Time (OST) program operated by Catholic Charities of Philadelphia (CCoP) and managed by her grandmother, Margaret Ferry. CCoP operates several after-school programs in the city that provide social, educational, and recreational activities in communities with high poverty and crime rates.

Years later, as a student at Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls, Jessica returned to OST as a volunteer. This was a way to stay close and connected to her grandmother, who had passed away.

“I became obsessed with advocating and helping others,” Jessica said. Like her grandmother, she developed a deep admiration for Catholic Charities of Philadelphia and its work.

She went on to volunteer at CCoP’s Northeast Family Service Center from 2017-2019 before returning as an intern in 2022. The ministry is one of five CCoP centers offering services and support to individuals and families.

Jessica, 27, said the most fulfilling moment of her short career involved “Z,” a woman she encountered at the Delaware County Family Service Center in Chester. After graduating from Temple University, Jessica was hired in 2024 as a social worker at the Chester location, working full time while pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) at Temple. As part of her graduate school internship, she ran a support group to help women achieve their personal goals quickly.

Z was a victim of domestic violence; Jessica sensed she would benefit from being away from her abuser—even for an hour a week.

“I could see the life drained from her,” Jessica recalled. “Her eyes were just empty.”

She persuaded Z to join the support group, and she attended every session without fail. By the end of the formal six-week program, Z had left her abuser and was renting a room, attending GED classes, working as a swim instructor and home health aide, and making crafts to sell on the Chester waterfront. She also had reconnected with her adult children.

When Jessica handed out framed certificates of completion, Z thanked her for saving her life. She confided she’d been having dark thoughts and felt she had no one to turn to. Jessica, overcome with emotion, returned to her office, and cried.

She later recounted Z’s dramatic transformation. “You could see the life come back to her, the spark in her eyes return. She was really glowing when I left Chester.”

In December 2025, Jessica became the new program director at Women of Hope-Lombard, one of CCoP’s two personal care residences offering long-term care and housing to women with chronic mental illness and a history of homelessness. The other Women of Hope residence is on Vine Street. Both shelters provide structured, individualized support in a comfortable, homelike environment that fosters healing and personal growth.

Women of Hope-Lombard currently houses 14 residents ages 18-24. It’s more than a shelter, Jessica said. It’s a safe haven for women while they transition to permanent housing. “We treat them with respect and dignity and see them as a person rather than just another occupant coming through.”

While other organizations serve similar clients, CCoP ministries are guided by the belief in the inherent value and rights of every human being. If Women of Hope were to close its doors, that focus would be lost. “I know that [other agencies] help, but not on the level that we do,” Jessica said. “I think it all goes into seeing the dignity of a person and respecting them . . . meeting them where they are.”

‘Women arrive at Lombard Street burdened by mental health issues and homelessness. Many also have experienced addiction, domestic violence, childhood trauma, separation from children and families, and discrimination, isolation, and shame.

“When they come in, you can physically see the weight on their shoulders after everything they’ve gone through,” Jessica said. Her goal is to help each resident feel human again. “I always say, ‘You’re not homeless. You’re a person, and homelessness is just something that happens to you, not who you are.’”

With care and compassion, she and her team of two case managers provide comprehensive support to residents— managing medications, navigating the courts, accessing public benefits—”anything they could need to transition into housing again.”

Jessica said her faith plays a pivotal role in her work at Women of Hope, noting that she often refers to the message of 1 Corinthians 10:13. She genuinely believes God doesn’t give any of us more than we can handle. She tries to instill in her clients that their challenges are temporary and to trust that they will overcome them. “God has so much more in store for them.”

Jessica is driven every day by a desire to see women succeed and move to permanent housing with their faith and dignity restored. “It’s seeing life come back into their eyes that drives me to continue to show up for them.”

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This piece was previously published in Catholic Charities of Philadelphia’s 2024-2025 Annual Report. View the full report here.