New Orleans, La., Jan 19, 2006 / 22:00 pm
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) today announced the awarding of more than half a million dollars in special grants to groups assisting low-income victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita rebuild their lives and communities.
Disbursal of the $515,000 follows a separate allocation of $150,000 provided in late September for hurricane relief.
Bishop Howard Hubbard of Albany, N.Y., chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on CCHD, announced the 20 grants at a New Orleans press conference. The grants range from $10,000 to $30,000 and cover 11 dioceses.
The poor “need a place at the table as the Gulf Coast plans to rebuild,” Bishop Hubbard stated. “There is much work to be done and we need to listen carefully to their voices and see clearly their needs.”