Bishops Renew Poverty USA Campaign in Response to Growing Domestic Poverty

WASHINGTON— With 15 percent of all Americans, including nearly 1 in 4 children, living in poverty, the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development (JPHD) of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is renewing its poverty awareness campaign, Poverty USA, complete with a revamped website and a new social media presence and Poverty Awareness Month event in January.

“Our culture of life begins with a love that binds us to the hopes and joys, the struggles and the sorrows of people, especially those who are poor or any way afflicted,” said Bishop Jaime Soto of Sacramento, California, chairman of the bishops’ domestic anti-poverty effort, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). “We march with immigrant families toward a society made stronger and safer by their inclusion. We embrace the mother and her unborn child, giving to both of them hope and opportunity. We measure our own health by the quality of care we give to those most vulnerable. We labor with those whose work is burdensome.”

The campaign will promote awareness about domestic poverty with updated statistics on the Poverty USA landing page on the USCCB website (www.usccb.org/about/catholic-campaign-for-human-development/povertyusa/), as well as resources including an interactive poverty tour and a newly-launched presence on Facebook (www.facebook.com/povertyusa).

For Poverty Awareness Month, the new page on Facebook will also launch a month-long event on January 1. Catholic families and individuals can take part in Poverty Awareness Month by joining the Facebook event and participating in daily activities that build greater understanding about poverty in the United States. The content is also recommended for use by diocesan social action directors, CCHD directors and program coordinators, as well as parish social ministry leaders, teachers, and others.

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Keywords: U.S. bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, JPHD, Justice, Peace and Human Development, CCHD, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, domestic poverty, Poverty Awareness Month, January, social media, Facebook, Poverty USA, poverty tour, poverty statistics, Bishop Jaime Soto, education, cycle of poverty

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