2002 National PSA Campaign is One of a Select Few Approved

WASHINGTON (January 2, 2002) -- The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) announced today that the Advertising Council has officially endorsed its "1 in 6 Children Live in Poverty USA" public service advertising campaign.

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 national campaign, 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 more than 31 million people in America still living in poverty and focuses in on the 1 in 6 U.S. children (12 million) who live in poverty.

"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 child poverty right here in our nation -- in numbers larger than most other industrialized nations. Ultimately, we hope awareness will lead to action in permanently breaking the cycle of poverty."

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 more than $10 million in grants to support community and economic development projects in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. 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. 

Contact:
Mary Yerrick
301-320-6888
myerrick@aol.com