Special to the Herald
(From the issue of 2/12/04)

Applications for grants from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) will be accepted until April 1. These grants are awarded on the basis of need, not necessarily religious affiliation. Last November the parishes of Arlington Diocese generously contributed over $200,000 to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development to fight poverty and injustice in the U.S. Twenty-five percent of the amount donated or about $50,000, is available to support local Arlington Diocese projects.

When the Catholic bishops of the United States established the CCHD in 1970, they mandated the campaign to fund "such projects as voter registration, community organizations, community-run schools, minority-owned cooperatives and credit unions, capital for industrial development, job training programs, and setting up of rural cooperatives." This is deliberately to contrast with worthy "service" activities such as feeding, counseling and educating that are managed by dedicated and skilled volunteers. Organizations being sought by CCHD are truly managed and directed by the people being served and train members to become leaders.

"The CCHD believes in giving a hand-up rather than a hand out in order to build skills and improve the quality of work and home life for all citizens," said Father Vitillo, CCHD’s national director. "When we give grants to community based projects we are investing in people who are committed to working together, often across racial, ethnic and religious lines, to make the community stronger. When our grants make it possible for communities to help their members hope, optimism and local economies grow."

CCHD’s second mission is education of the public about the plight of the poor. According to the last U.S. Census, the "State of Poverty, U.S.A." includes all families of four who earn an annual income of less than $17,184. This is the second largest "state" in the union.

Today CCHD can point to 3,500 organizations that have received over $250 million in grants from CCHD. These organizations have grown and now are able to extend great influence into their communities.

Father Charles C. McCoart, director of Diocesan Charities in Arlington, explained, "This is grassroots spending to meet grassroots needs in the Diocese to bring about fundamental change in peoples lives. In a typical year local CCHD grants are awarded to eight to 10 worthy organizations. The average award is around $5,000 to $7,000." In the last two years the following needs were addressed:

— Pro-life crisis pregnancy assistance is provided in Culpepper.

— An embryonic organization of predominantly Hispanic workers in the Culmore area is seeking to improve their work opportunities and to protect themselves from unscrupulous contractors. They are organized and seek to create a site other than the street corner at 7-11 to congregate and offer their services. They are assisted in their interface with the neighbors and authorities by the Virginia Justice Center, a pro-bono group of lawyers who speak Spanish and are dedicated to helping immigrants and migrant workers.

— Low-income residents in Alexandria and Arlington are fighting for adequate housing and fair wages.

— Arlington renters are organizing themselves to push for maintenance of codes on their properties and to prevent the elimination of low income housing from their community.

— The Teen Mercy Madison County project is encouraging institutional change at all the churches, schools and organizations in the three-county area (Culpepper, Orange and Greene) to enhance teens’ educational development in collaboration with the schools and parents. The purpose is also to enhance their spiritual development. Teen Mercy’s Board is encouraging the teachers to be more positive about the educational potential of the low-income students and to communicate in a supportive manner with the students and parents.

— The Family Learning Center (FLC) program, located on Notabene St. in Arlandria, makes a fundamental change in the institution of homelessness that affects the residents who participate. The students at the FLC are from transitional housing.

— ACES of Spotsylvania seeks to empower single parents who are owed child support by educating them on how to navigate the state child support system to obtain monies owed to them and their children.

If you wish to receive a CCHD application form please contact: Diocesan Charities Diocese of Arlington, 200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 506, Arlington, Va. 22203, e-mail rfallert@ccda.net, call 703/841-3839, or go to www.nccbuscc.org/cchd.