Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply,
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Mt 16:13-19

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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.

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

2019 CCUSA Annual Survey Results Webinar

Join us for the 2019 CCUSA Annual Survey Results Webinar on Jul 09, 2020 at 3:00 PM EDT.  The presentation will include summary statistics and performance measures to highlight the impactful work completed throughout the Catholic Charities network last year. Data related to all strategic priority areas are covered, including new data collected on Child, Youth, and Family services, Parish Social Ministry, and Volunteer Management & Long-Term service. Results for the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC)/CCUSA joint survey on immigration legal services will also be presented. Register here.

CCUSA Webinar Series - COVID19: Racial Health Disparities, Losing a Loved One, and the Next Surge

Date: Jun 29, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT. The impact of COVID-19 on the health of racial and ethnic minority groups is evident through the disproportionate burden of illness and death in this population. In this webinar, Dr. Rhonda Medows will discuss the factors that influence the poor health outcomes for these groups in the face of COVID-19. Presenter will also discuss caring for patients with COVID-19; share the experience of losing a loved one; and discuss the importance of preparing for next surge of this highly infectious disease. 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.

CCUSA Webinar Series - Working with African American Males: How Clear is your Clinical Lens?

Date: Jun 30, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT. Join us for the second in a four-part webinar series related to men’s physical and mental health. During this webinar, participants will explore some of the key factors that hinder connecting and engaging with African American male clients. What might you be missing or “fail to catch” when working with this population? What are your blind spots? How might you help them see you more clearly?  Alphonso Gibbs, LCSW-C is a member of the Men’s Health Network and will lead this discussion. For more than 30 years, Mr. Gibbs has worked with and provided expert consultation to clinicians, communities, and policymakers on a host of topics to promote the health and well-being of men, boys, and families. 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.

Integral Human Development: A Tool to Overcome the Effects of Racism Webinar

Join the Management & Administration section for a webinar on Jul 14, 2020 at 3:00 PM EDT. Integral Human Development Approach centers on the idea that the dignity of the person is expressed not only in work but also in culture, spirituality, relationships, and power. Join us to explore how with its comprehensive assessment and equity-based program development IHD can serve as a powerful tool to counteract the effects of racism. 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.  

Having Tough Conversations – Supporting Clients with an Estate Planning Conversation

Date: Jul 21, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT. Join us for a webinar to support staff to open conversations on the importance of Estate Planning. Presenters will be focusing on ways that staff can encourage clients to think about final arrangements including financial and medical guardians, creating a will, selecting guardians for children, among other important decisions and where to go for additional resources. Leading the discussion will be: Guadalupe Millan , Director, Microbusiness & Asset Development, Catholic Charities of Omaha; Esther D. Coleman, Esq. Staff Attorney, Catholic Charities Legal Network, CCDC. 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 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.

Catalyst Kitchens' Train the Trainer program is going virtual

Train the Trainer: Virtual Edition. Adapt your culinary program for virtual and hybrid learning for COVID-19: August 13th, 14th, 20th, & 21st in a virtual format. The current “new normal” during COVID-19 demands some flexibility, creativity, and finding new ways to connect. We are offering a new online workshop focused on virtual culinary training and how to become a great teacher, whether in an in-person capacity or virtually. This workshop will cover remote teaching, adapting your program to virtual learning, student evaluation and assessment, and honing your coaching techniques based on different learning styles. Find out more here or reach out to Steve Bogus.

Grant Opportunity – CCUSA Nutrition Education AmeriCorps Program

CCUSA is currently looking for additional grantees for the Nutrition Education AmeriCorps program. This direct service program is a collaboration between The American Heart Association (AHA) and Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) to help Americans learn to lead healthier lives by eating healthier foods. The AmeriCorps members will provide food education (learning experiences, recipe demos, grocery store tours etc.) to food insecure clients to increase knowledge about the about the relationship between food and health. If your agency is interested in hosting an AmeriCorps member to serve in your community, please reach out to Teiara Turner at [email protected].

Grant Opportunity – CCUSA Financial Education AmeriCorps Program

CCUSA is currently looking for additional grantees for the Financial Education AmeriCorps program. The AmeriCorps members in this program will use the FDIC Money Smart curriculum to educate clients of all ages on how to enhance their financial skills and create positive banking relationships. This program will help clients improve financial literacy and navigate financial decisions more efficiently.  If your agency is interested in hosting an AmeriCorps member to serve in your community, please reach out to Teiara Turner at [email protected].

Town Hall for diocesan ministers to those affected by incarceration/detention

You are invited to join Joe Cotton, director of Pastoral Care and Outreach, Archdiocese of Seattle, to discuss best practices in relation to these 3 criminal justice issues:

• Creative ways to pivot pastoral response in this time of Covid-19;
• Role of faith communities in restorative justice;
• How do faith communities engage in re-entry.

 Town Hall for Dio Admins.png

Please come to learn and share best practices with your co-ministers in the US Catholic dioceses.

The Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives at EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Recently Released New Opening Guidance

EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released updated guidance to help facility operators and families properly clean and disinfect spaces. Developed in concert with the White House, the guidance provides step-by-step instructions for public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools, and homes, and falls in line with the Opening up America Again guidelines.

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.