What CCHD materials does a parish receive?

CCHD promotion materials are supplied annually to all pastors: announcements for the parish bulletin, homily ideas, prayers of the faithful, and a flier. Quantities of fliers and collection envelopes, along with posters in English and Spanish, are mailed directly to parishes based on directions given by the diocesan CCHD director. The fliers can be distributed at Mass and among members of parish groups. Because CCHD is keenly aware that pastors have many demands on their time, we are providing suggestions on how others could be helpful in promoting CCHD at the parish level.

Tips for Talking about CCHD

One of the most effective ways to educate Catholics about poverty and to remind them how their generosity helps to break the cycle of poverty is to speak personally of your experience with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development or with one of the groups receiving CCHD support.

A step-by-step guide to help you with writing your own speech, as well as an already- prepared speech can be found below. Select the option that's right for you, follow the tips below, and you will be ready to take the good news of CCHD to local Catholics!

Before You Speak

• Talk with the Diocesan Director about the time and place for your talk.
• Review the national flier (available from the Diocesan Director) prepared by CCHD for this year and become familiar with the information contained in the flier.
• Call the pastor to make sure that you are expected and to confirm at which Masses you will be speaking. Ask to meet him or a parish staff member twenty minutes before Mass to find out exactly when you will speak and where you will stand.
• Ask if the CCHD flier will be distributed to parishioners on the day you speak or on the weekend before you speak. If the parish does not distribute the flier, ask the Diocesan Director for copies to distribute after Mass or to place in the church vestibule (with the permission of the pastor).

• Keep your talk short. Ideally, the talk should last between two and four minutes.
• Practice the talk in front of a mirror and with a family member or friend. Speak slowly and clearly. Practice several times in order to feel relaxed and confident. Speak from your heart.

• When you arrive, introduce yourself to the celebrant or appropriate parish staff member. If you are not already acquainted with this person, offer a card with your name printed on it and a sentence about your connection to CCHD, so you can be introduced. Allow time to practice speaking from the podium and with the microphone, if you are using one.
• Stay after Mass or the meeting to greet people and to answer questions. If fliers have not been distributed, hand them out as people are leaving.

If you would like to write your own speech, follow these easy steps and watch your speech come together! Remember to keep it short, speak clearly, and speak from your heart.

1. Tell the audience your name and how you are connected to CCHD.
   
   
2. Tell a little bit about what CCHD is, what it does, and how it works. Here are some suggestions: (use any or all of these)
   
   
   • The Catholic Campaign for Human Development was launched in 1970 by the Catholic Church in the U.S. to address the root causes of poverty and to fund groups working to break the cycle of poverty.
     
     
   • The Catholic Campaign for Human Development helps people help themselves. Groups funded by CCHD are organized by low-income people to improve their communities. Some ways in which they accomplish this include affordable housing, job training, worker-owned cooperative businesses, support for working families with children, and other self-help initiatives.
     
     
   • Since its beginning, the Catholic Campaign has made more 7,000 grants to self-help projects within the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands that are created and managed by low-income people themselves.
     
     
   • " In the (arch) diocese of ________, CCHD has funded [projects] (The CCHD Diocesan Director should have local grant information.)
   
   
3. Make the connection between your project and the CCHD collection.
   
   
   • Donors want to be sure that CCHD funds are being used as promised. You might say something like, "I am here to let you know that your money is put to good use through the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Our project is very effective in improving our community. The main source of funding for CCHD is the annual parish collection. I hope you will support our effort by giving generously to the collection."

   • People respond to personal stories. Talk about your own CCHD experience as a member of a project that receives funding, or as a committee member. Or give examples of local projects that receive CCHD funding., Tell one or two stories about people whose lives have been changed because they were involved in a project; if you are not familiar with such people, then read about them on CCHD's website: www.usccb.org/cchd

   • Donors respond when asked directly. Finish by reminding the congregation/audience how important CCHD is. For example, you could say: "In order to break the cycle of poverty in this country, CCHD offers an opportunity to put Catholic Social Teaching into practice. Through CCHD we can respond to the Gospel's challenge to love our neighbors, especially those living in poverty. We can work to end poverty not just for a day, but for a lifetime. I hope you will support the Catholic Campaign for Human Development in your parish collection. Thank you."
   A Sample Talk for Catholic Campaign for Human Development Speakers

   “Good morning. I am [your name] of [parish or funded group]. I am very glad to share with you my experience with an effort that has made a difference in my life.
   
   That effort is the Catholic Campaign for Human Development-CCHD. It is sponsored by the Catholic bishops of the United States and invites all Catholics in this country to address the root causes of poverty in the United States.
   
   Today I want to tell you briefly how CCHD has affected my life. [Add your own VERY BRIEF personal example of how CCHD has made a difference in your life.]
   
   There are many people in our (arch)diocese and thousands of people all over the country who could tell you a story about how CCHD has changed their lives. That is because the Campaign does not just provide funding; CCHD helps people break the cycle of poverty not just for a day, but a lifetime.
   
   During the past thirty-four years, the Campaign has funded thousands of projects that empower poor and low income people to join together in order to solve community problems. CCHD-funded projects break the cycle of poverty by teaching people the skills they need to improve their lives. With CCHD funding, poor and low income communities develop affordable housing, job training and creation programs, worker owned cooperative businesses, support for low income working families and children, and many other creative programs.
   
   The Catholic Campaign for Human Development makes a difference in our (arch)diocese. [Give examples of local CCHD funded projects. Emphasize results and the human impact.]
   
   These projects are funded by Catholics like you. Every year in parishes throughout the country, Catholics have an opportunity to contribute to CCHD's work through an annual collection which occurs next week in parishes in our (arch)diocese. Twenty-five percent of the collection stays with the local diocese to help local projects. Seventy-five percent is sent to the national CCHD office and is distributed through grants to community groups across the country and for education programs that work to break the cycle of poverty. I ask you to continue your generosity, to remember that as we give to our brothers and sisters in need, we are indeed giving to God.

   I would like to challenge you to give strong support to CCHD this year. If you have never given, I ask you to seriously consider a donation this year. If you have supported CCHD in the past, I ask you to consider increasing your gift this year. I know that there are many worthy causes-some sponsored by the same Catholic Church-that seek your attention and support. But I can tell you that your support of CCHD will really make a difference to the nearly thirty-five million Americans living in poverty.

   I also encourage you to learn more about local CCHD efforts and ways that you can become involved with the Campaign. Experience with CCHD has enriched many lives, including mine, and it can impact yours, too. Through CCHD, we can break the cycle of poverty in this country. Please call the diocesan CCHD office or see me after Mass. [Give CCHD diocesan office phone number/DD's name.] Thank you.

Email us at cchdpromo@usccb.org
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