CV NEWS FEED // The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is calling on the faithful to support the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) in anticipation of World Day of the Poor on November 17.
CCHD is the USCCB’s official anti-poverty program. The initiative is dedicated to combating poverty through community empowerment. Dioceses across the United States will take up a collection for CCHD on November 17, according to an October 25 news release from the bishops.
The USCCB shared that CCHD focuses on promoting the active involvement of people in need, empowering them to take advantage of job opportunities, improve neighborhood conditions, and tackle the root causes of poverty.
According to Bishop Timothy Senior of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the chairman of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, CCHD is “an essential part of the social mission of the Church in the United States.”
“CCHD opens the door to the active participation of those experiencing poverty to convene, identify barriers, research issues, brainstorm solutions, and take action to change problematic structures and systems in their communities,” Bishop Senior stated in the news release.
The bishops shared that last year alone, CCHD was able to give more than $12.7 million to “non-partisan grassroots organizations that help poor or marginalized people across the country work together to rise above the obstacles to living wages, affordable housing, and safe neighborhoods.”
Twenty-five percent of contributions to diocesan collections remain in the communities where the money is raised, providing funding for specifically local anti-poverty projects, according to the bishops.
According to the USCCB, CCHD’s “strategy of education for justice and helping people who are poor speak and act for themselves reflects the mandate of the Scriptures and the principles of Catholic social teaching.”
The bishops shared notable projects that have been facilitated by grants from CCHD, including “Northwest Hub” in Oregon, which trains individuals experiencing homelessness in bike repair and business skills, and “KC Can Compost” in Missouri, which offers job training in the green industry. “Seed Commons” in New York City provides low-interest loans to employee-owned business cooperatives, while “Centro de Trabajadores Unidas en la Lucha” in Minnesota advocates for worker rights against injustices like wage theft. Additionally, “Strangers No Longer” in Michigan aids immigrants and refugees with essential support and immigration advocacy.
“When you give to CCHD,” Bishop Senior added, “you uphold the dignity of the poor by creating a path to good jobs and better, stronger communities.”