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Helping Others Help Themselves - Catholic Campaign for Human Development

November 15, 2021

From the Office for Social Ministry

Once again, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is asking for your help to fight poverty, which affects more than 38 million Americans. CCHD is a national initiative of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) dedicated to empowering others, while carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ "... to bring glad tidings to the poor ...  liberty to captives ...  sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free." (Luke 4:18) CCHD funds community programs that help low-income people help themselves by participating in decisions that affect their lives, their families and community.

2021 is the 50^th Anniversary of the CCHD National Collection. Unfortunately, issues of poverty throughout many communities have worsened in the past year due to job loss and domino effects stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporting the work of CCHD this anniversary year is more important than ever before!

The national collection provides critical funding to anti-poverty programs across the country. For example, CCHD’s current newsletter highlights initiatives led by the Catholic Labor Network (CLN), which promotes social justice and supports the rights and dignity of workers in labor unions, parishes, and various workplaces. CLN recently received a five-year CCHD Strategic National Grant that helps catholic laity, clergy and religious continue advocating in solidarity for fair wages, safer work environments, and more job security, especially for essential workers.

Twenty-five percent of the CCHD collection remains in our diocese, where funds support local projects. Here in our island Diocese, CCHD helps support parish ministries that collaborate with community efforts to keep kupuna and families fed along with assisting homeless and formerly incarcerated women into housing and job training.One ‘Ohana: Food and Housing for All has also received local funds to support food pantry distributions, hot meal deliveries and keiki backpack programs, plus parish outreach ministries that provide clothing, blankets, and other basic necessities to homeless persons transitioning from the streets and shelters into permanent affordable housing.

In Bishop Larry Silva’s letter to all in our Diocese, he states:

“I strongly encourage all to give generously to this CCHD collection as a way that members of the Catholic Church can proclaim the living Jesus Christ to the world and participate in building God’s Kingdom.” 

To better understand poverty in America and the importance of confronting the root causes of economic injustice, CCHD and Poverty USA have created educational resources available on its CCHD webpage where you will also find a video link to THE WEB OF POVERTY, a sobering reality check that illustrates how easy it is for citizens to become trapped in financial struggles. CCHD exists to help break that web of poverty while providing resources for all to survive and thrive.

For more information on the Campaign for Human Development-CCHD, Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Weekand One ‘Ohana: Food and Housing for All here in Hawaii, please visit the OSM websitewww.officeforsocialministry.org.