In photo above, members of Holy Spirit Parish in Fairfield speak about the successes of Common Ground, a community action organization in Fairfield, Vallejo and Solano County, which has received CCHD grants for its work.
Bishop Jaime Soto commemorated the work of local leaders involved in the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development in the diocese during a gathering on Nov. 5 at St. Anthony Parish in Sacramento.
CCHD celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2021, supporting people and communities to overcome injustice, escape poverty and build bridges of solidarity. The CCHD supports initiatives that empower families, immigrants, new mothers, the elderly and others in need.
Parishes throughout the Diocese of Sacramento will take up this year’s special collection for the CCHD during weekend liturgies Nov. 20-21.
One in eight people in the United States live in poverty. With this collection, you support programs that address the root causes of poverty and provide a sustainable future for those struggling across the country.
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development was launched in 1969 by the bishops of the United States as a Catholic anti-poverty initiative. For more than 50 years, CCHD has addressed the problem of poverty by attacking its root causes and funding community projects that promote independence as a means of finding a permanent end to poverty. It might surprise you to know that 38 million Americans, including one in five children, live below the poverty line. Many of these are considered “working poor,” which means that they work but do not make enough money to cover essentials like housing, health care, child care, and food. CCHD projects help to lower that number.
Many people in our diocese and thousands of people across the United States could tell you how CCHD has changed their lives. That is because CCHD not only provides funding but also invests in the dignity of the poor and helps people to break the cycle of poverty by becoming self-reliant.
Over the course of more than 50 years, CCHD has funded nearly 12,000 projects that empower the poor to come together and solve community problems with grants totaling over $400 million. CCHD funds projects that produce real and lasting change. These projects are funded by Catholic parishioners who graciously donate to the CCHD collection. In parishes across the country, this collection makes a difference to end the cycle of poverty in our communities.
Twenty-five percent of your donations will remain in the Diocese of Sacramento to fund local projects, while the remaining 75 percent goes to the CCHD national office to support anti-poverty initiatives across the United States. These days, it is not hard to imagine having to choose between rent or health care, food or transportation, household bills or clothing for your children. For most Americans, these decisions stem from a layoff, pay freeze, retirement fund decrease, or the economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For the millions of Americans who live below the poverty line, these choices are only getting worse.
Your support for this collection brings change to communities across the country and empowers those living in poverty to transform the places they live into reflections of the Kingdom of God.
This work continues to change lives. This work is powerful, healing and restorative and demonstrates Christ’s ability to overcome all that stands in the way of unity and charity. Let’s work in solidarity with all of those in our country who suffer from exploitation, lack of dignified work, injustice and marginalization.
To donate online for this year’s CCHD collection, visit /cchd.
More information about the CCHD can be found at http://usccb.org/cchd.
To view a video about CCHD local grantees from the Diocese of Sacramento visit https://vimeo.com/638840137/d622a93973