Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary of Magdala.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.” Jn 19:25-26

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Highlights from CCUSA

Important news about Catholic Charities USA's 2020 Annual Gathering

Out of concern for everyone’s safety and health, Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) has decided to CANCEL the 2020 Annual Gathering in Cleveland scheduled to take place October 27-30. This was a very difficult but necessary decision we had to make. While the in-person event is cancelled, CCUSA is working on a virtual, online professional development experience that will be rolled out over the next several months. This includes information regarding CCUSA's Social Innovation Award! In addition, we hope you will SAVE THE DATE as we are planning a virtual celebration on Friday, September 25, 2020, commemorating the 110th anniversary of CCUSA's founding. Please stay tuned for email updates as details are confirmed. You can also reach out to us at [email protected] with any event-related questions.

The spring issue of Charities USA, quarterly magazine of CCUSA, is out

Charities USA spring 2020 looks at the Catholic Charities ministry's service to families with young children, and it also includes a section on the ministry's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read here. Also, be sure to sign up here to receive each issue in your email.

Catholic Charities USA presents the CCUSA Family Activity Book (Spanish and English)

CCUSA hopes to bring families together through fun experiences. The book has ideas for great games, recipes and activities for families of all ages to enjoy. This resource provides opportunities to create new memories and build closeness with one another during this unprecedented time. Click HERE for the book. The Family Activity Book is also available in Spanish. (Juegos, recetas, experimentos científicos y páginas para colorear (imprima los dos lados de la hoja para obtener mejores resultados)

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.

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

Ethical Strategies for Working with the Extended Family of Adoption webinar

Jun 10, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT. Please join us to identify the intersections of ethical responsibilities when working with the extended family of adoption. Ethical adoption practice is guided by mission based agencies respect for life and informed by research and stories of those with lived experiences. This webinar will discuss the unique ethical challenges in adoption and will present a model for managing these dilemmas.

Following this presentation attendee will be able to:

1. Identify ethical dilemmas in working with birth families, adoptive families, and adoptees.
2. Identify the intersections of ethical responsibilities when working with the extended family of adoption.
3. Develop strategies to address the ethical dilemmas in adoption practice.

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. 

A virtual conference on workforce trends and leadership

Elevate 2020 is a three-day virtual conference - June 10-12, 2020 - that will build cultural competency and critical thinking around workforce trends and leadership in the nonprofit sector. (The event will remain open 24/7 during the conference, so you can attend whenever it’s convenient for you during this period of time.) Participants are eligible to earn an e-Certificate in Workforce Trends and Leadership that may be uploaded to LinkedIn and other digital platforms. Elevate’s robust programming hosts four live keynote addresses, includes more than 20 live and on-demand sessions, and provides countless networking opportunities. You’ll also gain access to numerous digital resources that focus on issues like leadership in virtual workspaces and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Elevate's timely content will develop your leadership skills so you can make an impact in your community and in the nonprofit sector. Learn more and Register HERE.  

Grant Opportunities and Resources

Booz Allen Foundation Innovation Fund

The Booz Allen Foundation has established a $1 million Innovation Fund to help nonprofits, entrepreneurs, thought leaders, innovators at colleges and universities, and startups and small businesses harness the power of data, technology, and diverse intellectual capital to improve COVID-19 relief efforts and make a difference. This program wants to surface the most innovative solutions and empower the individuals and organizations behind those solutions to drive their development and implementation. The Foundation is accepting applications from April 30 through June 5, 2020. Nonprofits can apply for grants of up to $100,000. Individuals, teams of individuals, and eligible for-profit organizations can apply for microgrants of up to $10,000. Through the Innovation Fund, the Foundation is specifically targeting solutions and projects that will build lasting community resilience through protecting vulnerable populations and frontline workers or providing for the safe return to work. If you have an idea for a solution or are involved with a project that’s already making a difference, apply for an Innovation Grant today. Learn more here.

Management & Administration Human Resources Benchmarking Project

Catholic Charities of St. Louis conducts intermittent benchmarking projects in conjunction with the Taylor Community Consulting Program of the Olin School of Business at Washington University, CCUSA, and other Catholic Charities agencies. These benchmarking projects focus on programming and administrative services prevalent across the Catholic Charities network. View the Spring 2020 benchmarking project on Human Resources as well as an inventory of past projects here.

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 has been extended through August 31, 2020. If interested, CLICK HERE to connect with Sterling on this offering and any other specific needs. Please note, the special pricing is not retroactive nor automatic for existing customers; please contact SV if you are interested in utilizing the discounts.

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.

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.