The report illustrates how Catholic Charities agencies are working to address the pervasive issue of poverty in this country.
“We understand the consequences of poverty first-hand, and also know the solutions for helping individuals get on a path to self-sufficiency,” Father Snyder said. “That’s why we launched our Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America earlier this year.”
The campaign’s goal is to cut the U.S. poverty rate in half by 2020, and Catholic Charities USA and local agencies are joining together to urge policymakers to give the needs of the poor a higher priority in budget and policy decisions in four key areas: housing, hunger, nutrition assistance and economic security.
“At Catholic Charities, we understand the causes, scope and ramifications of poverty,” Father Snyder said. “While certain choices and behaviors can lead individuals into poverty, far more often the greater fault lies with the social and economic structures that shape the opportunities for the poor.”
“The Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America is critical for a long-term solution,” Father Snyder said. “Only through partnerships between government and community leaders, will we develop the capacity and the scale necessary to attack poverty in a comprehensive and sustainable way. With the help of people across the country, as volunteers, as contributors or as supporters of this campaign, we can make a real difference in the lives of so many of the most vulnerable among us.”
Local Agencies Provide Help and Offer Hope to Those in Need throughout the Country
As Catholic Charities agencies across the nation are experiencing an increase in need, they are stepping up to meet the challenge.
Filling Dental Needs – Catholic Charities Maine has been working to meet the dental needs of low-income families and individuals who often cannot find a dentist without a long waiting list or even one who will accept their form of insurance. Catholic Charities Maine opened the Jessie Albert Memorial Dental Center in Bath, Maine where the licensed dentist and hygienists served more than 5,600 children and young people in 2006. Available treatments range from filing cavities to performing root canals and treating early gum disease.
Dining/Food Services – At St. Vincent’s Center in Reno, Catholic Community Services of Northern Nevada operate both a food pantry and a dining room. The food pantry provides supplemental food for an average of 14,000 people a month, nearly 4 percent the local county population. St. Vincent’s dining hall welcomes individuals for breakfast every day, as it has done for more than 40 years. When the center’s new dining facility opened in 2006, the average number of people served per day rose to 333, an increase of 17 percent over the previous six months.
Job Skills Training – For the past 10 years, Catholic Community Services has operated the McDowell Family Literacy Program. McDowell is the poorest county in West Virginia: The median family income is under $20,500, and over 49 percent of the children live in poverty. The program has helped more than 2,000 low-income people through its comprehensive services including job skills training, basic literacy instruction, and classes in parenting, nutrition, money management and survival skills. Also, the program provides early child intervention, pre-school and after school programs. A key goal of this family program is to improve self-image and encourage self-esteem. This is done by getting people involved in helping themselves and others. The Center creates a supportive and caring environment that encourages families to work toward their goals and end poverty in their lives.
Easing Chronic Homelessness – The St. Paul Residence is the newest program of Catholic Charities of St. Paul-Minneapolis to help address chronic homelessness. A collaborative effort with the city of St. Paul and the state of Minnesota, this new residence will provide single-room housing for 60 chronically homeless men. Also located in the new building is the Catholic Charities’ St. Anthony Residence program, which provides permanent housing for 60 chronic alcoholics. Residents will receive independent living skills training, medication monitoring and employment services.
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The report, Poverty in America: Beyond the Numbers, can be found at www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.