One does not live on bread alone
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Mt 4:4b

Do you know someone who would be interested in receiving the Weekly Digest? Subscribe HERE.

Highlights from CCUSA

Sign up to receive Charities USA, the quarterly magazine of CCUSA

Charities USA is now being published in a digital format only. Be sure to sign up and read about the amazing work of local Catholic Charities agencies and the national office. The spring issue will be released early May. Sign up here.

CCUSA 2020 Volunteer of the Year

Sister Donna Markham OP, PhD, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), announced  that Steve Hanlon of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been named the CCUSA Volunteer of the Year for 2020. (Click here for a brief video featuring Hanlon and his volunteer ministry.) “Steve is an example of what volunteering is all about – he truly reflects the Good Samaritan,” Sister Donna said. “He shares his talent for fixing cars and, by doing so, helps others become independent and live dignified lives.” For the past 12 years, Hanlon has coordinated a car care ministry for Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma’s (CCEOK) Transitional Living Program residents. Hanlon works directly with residents to coordinate necessary car repairs to get them back on the road to jobs, classes, group sessions and other important off-campus activities. Read the press release here.

CCUSA COVID-19 Resource Center

Check out the CCUSA COVID-19 Resource Center on the CCUSA website. The resource provides the latest news, advocacy efforts and stories from the Catholic Charities ministry in the United States. Also included is general guidance from the federal government.

2019 CCUSA Annual Survey

The 2019 Annual Survey is live! Be sure to review the 2019 Annual Survey Preparation Webinar on the Annual Survey Resources section of the Member's Portal and complete your agency's submission before the survey closes on May 1, 2020. Please note that all staff who will contribute to your agency's submission must have access to a personalized link. If you need to request links for any staff at your agency, contact Ashley Rininger. In addition, please don't hesitate to contact Ashley via email if you have any questions or need any technical assistance.

Save the Date! Join us in Cleveland for the 2020 Annual Gathering for "Innovation Now"

When: October 27-30, 2020. Where: Hilton Cleveland. Plan ahead, mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details! Still need convincing? See what your colleagues said about the 2019 Annual Gathering: "Workshops/topics and presentations were great – wonderful diversity." "Learning from sister agencies – getting ideas that we could bring back to our agency." "Connections I made, people I met, bonding with colleagues." Questions? Send an email here.

Would you like to share your disaster knowledge with the network?

The Call for Proposals for the 2020 Applied Institute for Disaster Excellence is now open!  We want to offer relevant disaster education that provides participants with best practices and new skills to meet the needs of those we serve. Please consider sharing a workshop topic of interest and/or your expertise with colleagues. Please go to www.ccusaaide.org to view the Call for Topics instructions and to submit your idea. 

Events and Webinars

Connections - Openness in Adoption webinar

An open adoption is a form of adoption in which the biological and adoptive families have access to varying degrees of each other’s personal information and it usually benefits all members of the adoption triad. Openness can vary greatly from family to family and may change over time. It has grown over the years due to the evolution of social media and adoption agencies providing education to all members of the triad. Join our experts to discuss ways to navigate the open adoption system. At the same time, we will explore how adoption policy has evolved and its effects on the members of the adoption triad. NOTE: This webinar offers 1.0 Continuing Education Credit. Course completion requirements - To earn CE credit, participants must log in at the scheduled time, attend the webinar and complete an online course evaluation and CEC post-test. Certificates of credit will be emailed within 10 business days of each course completion. Date: April 28, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST. Register here.

Connections – Openness in Adoption webinar

April 28, 2020 at 2:00 Pm EDT. An open adoption is a form of adoption in which the biological and adoptive families have access to varying degrees of each other’s personal information and it usually benefits all members of the adoption triad. Openness can vary greatly from family to family and may change over time. It has grown over the years due to the evolution of social media and adoption agencies providing education to all members of the triad. Join our experts to discuss ways to navigate the open adoption system. At the same time, we will explore how adoption policy has evolved and its effects on the members of the adoption triad. Register here.

CCUSA Webinar -Introduction to Catholic Energies, Helping Catholic Organizations Identify, Invest, and Implement Energy Projects

April 29, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT. Identifying and partnering with mission aligned organizations can be difficult. In Catholic Energies, CCUSA members can find a partner that is dedicated to helping them achieve their goals around energy efficiency and related cost savings. This webinar will detail how Catholic Energies works as well the benefits of combining solar and energy efficiency and the savings than can be realized and re-invested in such projects. This webinar will discuss specific considerations for affordable housing projects as well Catholic Energies' work on the landmark solar project implemented by Catholic Charities of Washington, D.C. Register here.

Trauma and Self Care During COVID-19 webinar

April 30, 2020 at 1:00 PM EDT. The outbreak of COVID19  may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Join CCUSA staff to raise awareness about symptoms of vicarious trauma in professionals supporting families and stress symptoms in families themselves, trying to stay resilient during this difficult time. We will address important ways to practice self-care to maintain our health. Our experts will advise us on how to prevent and deal with illness and how to cope with the stress that will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger. NOTE: This webinar offers 1.0 Continuing Education Credit. Course completion requirements - To earn CE credit, participants must log in at the scheduled time, attend the webinar and complete an online course evaluation and CEC post-test. Certificates of credit will be emailed within 10 business days of each course completion. Register here.

Grant Opportunities and Resources

Sterling Volunteers offering FREE basic background checks to Catholic Charities agencies

Sterling Volunteers, a valued Catholic Charities USA partner, is extending a helping hand to our network to help safely mobilize trusted volunteers around essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sterling Volunteers is offering FREE Basic Background Checks, along with reduced pricing for MVR’s and other screening packages (click here for full details). This COVID-19 special offering is valid through June 30, 2020. If interested, CLICK HERE to connect with Sterling on this offering and any other specific needs.

The Hope for Creation Initiative invites you to submit prayers, meditations, stories, essays, statements, reflections, art, poems, songs, photos, videos, etc. that lift your love and hope for God’s creation!

Please share this call for creative submissions with others in your community. Are you a teacher? Invite your students to share their imagination and participate in Hope for Creation. Artists and writers, this is your opportunity to contribute creative beauty. Pastors and spiritual directors, an anxious world needs your inspiration and vision. Everyone may contribute and restore hope to the world. Submissions may be your original work or you may submit something that you found inspiring or moving. If not original, please give the source or attribution. Submissions will appear on the “Hope for Creation” webpage and may (with permission) be used during the time between Earth Day (April 22) and Laudato Si’ week (May 16-24) in a social media campaign lifting Catholic climate action. Submissions should also be accompanied by an action you pledge to take to care for creation in 2020. For action ideas, go here. If you have questions about the Hope for Creation initiative, please contact Paz Artaza-Regan.

Foundation for Financial Planning

In response to the current coronavirus crisis, the Foundation for Financial Planning (FFP) has accelerated the launch of CFP® Volunteer Match, an online platform to facilitate the connection between financial planners who want to help and nonprofits that have virtual opportunities to reach financially vulnerable individuals and families in need of pro bono financial advice. On CFP® Volunteer Match, nonprofits can post volunteer opportunities for Certified Financial Planner® professionals to virtually engage in one-on-one sessions or in interactive, small group sessions with people in need. CFP® volunteers are experts in their field and can help with budgeting/saving, managing debt and credit, navigating government benefits, and much more. We encourage you to register and post any virtual opportunities for CFPs to serve your constituents.

Seed Grants Available for the Creation or Expansion of Supportive Services to Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children

The Brookdale Foundation Group has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the creation or expansion of supportive services to grandparents and other relatives raising children. Up to 15 programs will be selected to receive a seed grant of $15,000 ($10,000 and $5,000 respectively), contingent upon progress made during year one and potential for continuity in the future. On-going technical assistance will also be provided. Any 501 (c)(3) or equivalent not-for-profit organizations can apply. The RFP proposal and guidelines can be downloaded by visiting our website. Proposals are due at the Brookdale Foundation Group office in New Jersey on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. Selected applicants will be required to attend an Orientation and Training Conference, as our guests, to be held October 22-24, 2020 in Teaneck, NJ.

Questions? Contact: Melinda Perez-Porter, Director, Relatives As Parents Program (RAPP), The Brookdale Foundation Group.

Catalyst Kitchens (by FareStart) in collaboration with CCUSA to offer "Train the Trainer Workshop"

The Catalyst Kitchens Train the Trainer workshop brings together members working directly with students in the kitchen, classroom, and as case managers to discuss how to coach students to reach their fullest potential. Topics include: Strategies to establish a culture of learning; classroom and kitchen instruction skills for diverse learners; and writing techniques for productive student evaluations. Take advantage of your CCUSA partnership discount and receive $125 off the workshop fee. Use discount code CKPARTNER at checkout to redeem. Upcoming workshops: Seattle, Wash., hosted by FareStart, July 30-31; Phoenix, Ariz., hosted by UMOM New Day Centers, Oct. 15-16. Click here to learn more.

Correctional Adult Reentry Education, Employment, and Recidivism Reduction Strategies (CAREERRS) Program FY 2020 competitive grant solicitation

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for funding under the Second Chance Act to develop a strategic plan for integrating correctional and employment programming and systems in order to help facilitate the successful reintegration of offenders returning to communities after a prison or jail sentence. For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035, at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html, or at [email protected]. The Grants.gov Support Hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except on federal holidays. Applicants must register with Grants.gov at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html prior to submitting an application. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on April 27, 2020. OJP encourages all applicants to read this Important Notice: Applying for Grants in Grants.gov. For additional information, see the How to Apply (Grants.gov) section in the OJP Grant Application Resource Guide.

HHS Announces Grants to Provide Meals for Older Adults

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is announcing $250 million in grants from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to help communities provide meals for older adults. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law by President Trump on March 18, 2020, provided the additional funding for the nutrition services programs authorized by the Older Americans Act (OAA) of 1965. These programs provide meals to more than 2.4 million older adults each year, both through home delivery and in places like community centers. In addition to meals, Older Americans Act programs provide a wide range of services, such as help with bathing and dressing, rides to doctors’ offices, etc. Funding has been provided to states, territories, and tribes for subsequent allocation to local meal providers. Grant amounts are determined based on the population-based formulas defined in the Older Americans Act. Older adults who need assistance can contact the Eldercare Locator to find services available in their community. The Eldercare Locator can be reached at 1-800-677-1116 or eldercare.acl.gov. For more information about COVID-19, please visit CDC’s website. For more information about the Older Americans Act nutrition programs, please visit ACL.gov.

Network Notes

Catholic Charities of Oregon helps pregnant women during epidemic. Read here.

Catholic Charities of Dallas sets up mobile pantry in church parking lot. Read more here.

Employment Opportunities

Catholic Charities job opportunities now listed on CCUSA website 

Anyone can view the job opportunities by clicking on the "Careers" tag on the footer of the CCUSA webpage. To post a job opportunity, one must be a member and have access to the members' portal in order to fill out the submission form (click on "Careers" tag on members only portal homepage). If you have any questions about the new job opportunities submission form, please contact David Werning or Lily Stewart. Please click here to access job opportunities.

CCUSA Photo Gallery

Did you know that one of the benefits CCUSA provides to member agencies is access to a professional photo gallery? Visit our Flickr photo pages to explore our albums and photos. If you would like a high-resolution version for your agency's use, please email CCUSA with photo number.