AD COUNCIL AGAIN ENDORSES POVERTY IN AMERICA PSA CAMPAIGN

2005 Campaign is One of a Select Few Approved

WASHINGTON (March 1, 2005) -- The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) announced today that the Advertising Council has officially endorsed its new public service advertising campaign for the fifth year in a row, since its inception in January 2001.

The Council's endorsement is awarded only to select campaigns that meet its high standards for public service communications. Since creating the category of public service announcements (PSAs) in 1942, the Ad Council has played a critical role in society by identifying a limited number of significant public issues and stimulating action for those issues by promoting effective communications programs.

The new national campaign called "Portraits of Hope," created for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development by Crosby Marketing Communications in Annapolis, Maryland, includes television, radio and print public service advertisements. It calls attention to the nearly 36 million people in America still living in poverty and focuses in on community-based solutions that break the cycle of poverty in the United States permanently.

"Receiving the Ad Council endorsement helps position our message with some of the nation's most important social issues," said Barbara Stephenson, Director of Communications for CCHD. "Most importantly, this recognition will result in even greater public awareness about the existence of poverty right here in our nation – especially as it impacts greatest among children and minorities. Also, it will raise much needed awareness of community-based solutions that help poor and low-income people work together to effectively break the cycle of poverty for good."

Established in 1970 by the U.S. Catholic bishops, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is one of the largest private funding sources of self-help programs for the poor in America. In the past year, CCHD provided nearly $9 million in grants to support 330 community and economic development projects in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Grants are based on need and awarded without regard to race, religious affiliation or ethic origin. The Campaign is supported by an annual collection in all U.S. Catholic parishes.