Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth. Jn 17:17b, 17a

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Highlights from CCUSA

2020 AIDE is Virtual – Registration is Now Open

Join your fellow Disaster practitioners and network experts for three days of education, networking, and fun as we bring together the Applied Institute for Disaster Excellence as a free virtual lite training. Participating in AIDE Lite is one of the best ways to be in the "know" about disaster response and recovery best practices, particularly when coupled with responding to the pandemic and systematic racism that has led to widespread community unrest. Click here to register.

UPDATED 2019 ANNUAL SURVEY DATA VISUALIZATIONS

2019 Member Agency Profiles: The 2019 Member Agency Profiles visualization is now live! Select a Diocese from the drop-down menu to review key information about each agency’s operations, programs, and services. Find the updated Member Agency Profiles here or through the CCUSA Members Portal under ‘Annual Survey Resources.’

2019 Agency Service Inventory: The 2019 Agency Service Inventory resource is now updated! This interactive visualization uses CCUSA 2019 Annual Survey data to identify agency activity across program areas. Select a service type and a corresponding service element to view all Catholic Charities agencies who reported providing that service in 2019. Access the updated Agency Service Inventory here or through the CCUSA Members Portal under ‘Annual Survey Resources.’

2019 Member Agency FTE Visualization: The updated 2019 Member Agency FTE visualization enables member agencies to compare their reported full time equivalent (FTE) staff count to the broader network and identify agencies of comparable size. Such comparisons may be useful for benchmarking, enhancing regional or national context, or in considering partnership opportunities among Catholic Charities agencies. Access this resource here or through the CCUSA Members Portal under ‘Annual Survey Resources.

CCUSA’s Research and Evaluation team wants your perspective on evaluation! 

You are invited to join the Catholic Charities Subgroup on Learning, Analysis, Measurement, and Evaluation, a cohort of the Management & Administration section focused on building and enhancing organizational infrastructure and processes to ensure data-driven decision making. Input from periodic calls and other communications will drive thought leadership and resource development, as well as facilitate exchange across Catholic Charities agencies through different modules. Interested parties should contact Kerry Glova, Director of Research and Evaluation.

Events and Webinars

"Creating a culture of healthy eating" webinar

Nutrition is at the root of much of the ill health of the poor, and the importance of underlying health conditions has been brought home at tragic levels through COVID-19. For 80 years, Edmundite MIssions has served Selma, Alabama, the poorest city in the poorest county in one of the poorest states in the nation. In a year of effort, the Missions has shown how to combine food provision and improved nutrition in extremely poor populations not only to walk the talk of the nutritional value of its work in measurable ways, but also to create nutrition advocates among its young, including the high school football team, an Alabama icon. And all for pennies on the dollar. The speaker is: Susan Raymond, Ph.D., Chief Innovation officer and Vice President, Program Integration, Edmundite Missions, Selma, AL. Date: Oct. 29, 2020. Time: 3 PM ET. Register here.

From Siloed to Self-Aware: A Collaborative Approach to Effective Donor and Volunteer Engagement Webinar 

Date: Oct 28, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT. Siloed behavior within a team culture is divisive, and employees are sometimes disinclined to collaborate. Research shows that minimizing competitive behaviors is feasible through applying the concept of collaboration. This session will use experiences of Catholic Charities of Washingto.n, DC’s Development, Volunteer, and Communications teams as a case study to show how to build a more collaborative work environment. Register here. 

SNAP Education: A state-wide approach to increasing healthy lifestyles for those most in need

The Federal SNAP Education Program supports healthy, active, and nourished lifestyles by providing low-income households with access to nutrition and physical activity education, and by leading healthy community initiatives at the local level. This workshop will provide a road map for how a statewide network of Catholic Charities agencies use the SNAP Ed program across their state to increase healthy lifestyles with those living on a SNAP budget. Join us for a webinar on Nov. 4, 2020, at 3 PM EST. Register here. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. View system requirements.

Arriving Alone - Needs and Programming for Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Foster Care webinar

Date: Nov 05, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST. Join us in exploring the challenges that unaccompanied migrant children face, the needs they present and the services that contribute to their ability to thrive in their new communities. This webinar will highlight how USCCB's model provides continuity of care for youth coming into the United States, including pursuit of legal relief, reunification with family and sponsors in the community and long-term foster care and independent living options for youth who are granted legal status. Come learn about the services youth rely on to succeed and how USCCB's network of foster care providers supports the long-term health, well-being and integration of unaccompanied migrant children by placing them in a community setting. PLEASE NOTE: This webinar offers 1.0 Continuing Education Credit. Register here.

African American Men’s Health in 20/20: Context, Considerations and Challenges webinar

Date: Nov 09, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST. African American men’s health has been worse than other men and women for more than 100 years, yet we have few programs or evidence-based practices to improve African American men’s mental or physical health. In this presentation, Dr. Derek Griffith - Founder and Director, Center for Research on Men’s Health at Vanderbilt University - suggests that part of the reason we may not have succeeded in improving the health of these men is that we have not considered what it means to be African American and a man over time and in this current context. He will describe findings from his research, and he will suggest strategies to improve African American men’s health and well-being. NOTE: This webinar offers 1.0 Continuing Education Credit.  Register here. 

CCUSA Webinar - How to Educate Your Staff: A Catholic Charities of St. Louis Case Study

Date: Nov 11, 2020 at 3:00 PM EST. An overwhelming need in all organizations is to provide professional development for staff on a consistent basis. Catholic Charities of St. Louis embarked on a journey to meet that need in a coordinative fashion by creating the Federation Training Program. This program provides professional development to staff at all levels in clinical topics, management development, personal enrichment, and safety on an ongoing basis. This presentation will describe the evolution of this program, demonstrate the resources used, the multi-level evaluation processes applied, and the performance improvements to elevate this initiative on an ongoing basis. Finally, the presentation will also include the results of a comprehensive analysis to monetize the value of these trainings and discuss how these concepts can be applied in the audiences’ organizations.  Register here.

Incorporating Consumer Voice into Pantry Design and Management Webinar

Date: Nov 10, 2020 at 3:00 PM EST. Join CCUSA staff to examine how one Philadelphia Catholic Charities agency used food pantry services as a vehicle to create community. The program instituted a cooperative among those using the pantry to help run the program itself. Join our presenters to explore how this significant change resulted in leadership opportunities for those who use the pantry services, as well as a more sustainable way to address local food insecurity. Register here.

Enterprise Risk Management: Theory into Practice Webinar

Date: Nov 17, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST. Join us for an interactive session for those both new to risk management as well as experienced administrators. In this session, we will provide an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework to apply in your own organization as well as dive into how to engage stakeholders and implement your mitigation plan. Following this presentation the participant will be able to define what risk management looks like within your organization; understand how to engage multiple stakeholders; and implement a successful risk management plan. Register here. 

Using Integration Data to Build Stronger Communities for Long-Term Residents and Newcomers webinar

Date: Dec 08, 2020 at 2:00 PM EST. Join us in learning how Catholic Charities agencies across the country use Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) created tools to collect this data and how the data has informed how they design their integration programs. Successful immigrant integration efforts help dismantle local unequal power dynamics. To accomplish this, a community must work together and address data-identified areas of inequity. This webinar will pinpoint the components of a successful integration initiative, detail how to collect important data that can enhance a currently operating integration program, and propose a plan of action for agencies interested in effectively engaging their community in integration efforts. Come learn how to garner buy-in from the agency's clients, staff, and community members. Additionally, presenters will focus on how to build an initiative designed to address the needs of the community. Register here.

Grant Opportunities and Resources

Grant Opportunity – CCUSA Financial Education AmeriCorps Program

CCUSA is currently looking for additional grantee(s) for the Financial Education AmeriCorps program to fulfill one full time slot or one half time slot or both a full time and half time slot! 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].

Finding homes for children, youth waiting in US foster care system

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is leading a national effort, championed by Assistant Secretary Lynn Johnson, to garner commitments and build strategic partnerships with the goal of finding loving, permanent homes for the nearly 122,000 children and youth who are currently waiting in the U.S. foster care system. ACF has developed a public engagement section of the ALL IN Foster Adoption Challenge website to ask the public to engage in the ALL IN Challenge by committing to an activity that supports children/youth or their caregivers and then sharing a picture or video of themselves with the ALL IN sign on their social media to let others know they have committed be ALL IN. ACF asks that people use the hashtag #ALLINforWaitingKids to show their support for the challenge as well as share the link to the public engagement page so that people can learn more. For more information, visit the ALL In Foster Adoption website.

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 December 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.

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. 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.