WASHINGTON, D.C., OCT. 26, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Donations from an annual national collection taken up in parishes before Thanksgiving, and totaling some $9.5 million this year will be helping more than 300 poverty-fighting organizations.
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development distributed the money to 314 projects in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in 2007.
The average award is $30,500 and will go to local organizations that address the specific concerns of their poor and low-income members. These groups work toward economic justice, fair housing, health care access, living wages, and immigrant and worker rights, among other concerns.
John Carr, interim executive director, highlighted the importance of the campaign: "Overcoming widespread poverty in the richest nation on earth is a moral imperative. The U.S. Census Bureau report released in August indicates that 36.5 million Americans still live at or below the poverty line -- $20,614 for a family of four."
When the donations are taken up each year, 25% of the funds remain in the diocese for local Catholic Campaign initiatives.
ZE07102607 - 2007-10-26