In addition to the many ways our Church prayerfully supports the poor and marginalized in our community, we also make a strong and focused effort to lift up those whose dignity has been ignored and empower them to thrive. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic Church. It was established in 1970 to respond to both systemic poverty and racial injustice occurring throughout the country. Since beginning its work, CCHD has awarded over $462 million in grants supporting more than 12,000 community-based, grassroots-led organizations. CCHD provides grants to more than 200 low-income, community-led organizations each year, which is made possible thanks to the generous contributions of Catholics to the annual collection every November on the World Day of the Poor. The Catholic Campaign for Human Development operates under a dual mandate to address systemic poverty through the support of low-income-led, self-help organizations and transformative education to nurture solidarity between people living in poverty and their neighbors. CCHD’s supported groups are helping communities to build resilience and stand in solidarity with their most marginalized members.
CCHD seeks to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ: “… to bring good news to the poor… release to captives … sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free.” (Luke 4:18) Pope Francis invites us to make the prayer of the poor our own and pray together with them. As the poor raise up their voices in prayer to God, through our gifts to CCHD we are able to stand in solidarity with them and have their rights and dignity honored.
Locally, CCHD annually makes grants to 8-10 organizations who are strengthening your neighbors. Funded initiatives created an environment for at risk teens to build positive mentorship relationships and participate in leadership opportunities, empowered neighborhoods to create food secure communities, and met the immediate and long-term needs of abused and sexually exploited women who are incarcerated or in treatment for substance abuse.
This month, we have the opportunity to contribute to this critical work. You can support CCHD to hear the cries of the poor, help them find a place at the decision-making tables impacting their lives, and give them a sense of ownership over their communities.
For more information, please contact Andrew Musgrave amusgrave@catholicaoc.org.
