Highlights from CCUSA

Register for the 2021 Annual Gathering at the lowest price available for members!

We know you are looking forward to the opportunity to reunite with members from across the ministry. Register today for the 2021 CCUSA Annual Gathering at the “Early Bird” member rate—don’t miss the chance to save!  Register today to join with agency staff and volunteers united in transforming the lives of people and communities. Celebrate our theme - HOPE IS BOLD! - with others committed to our mission to bring help and hope to all people. Early Bird pricing ends July 31^st. To register go to the 2021 Annual Gathering.

Share your story with the Catholic Charities network

CCUSA’s Storybank, a tool that allows staff of Catholic Charities member agencies – and anyone touched by the Catholic Charities ministry – to share insights and memories of people realizing their inherent dignity: stories that relate everything from overcoming an addiction to finding sustainable employment and affordable housing. One of the best ways to make an impact on the important issues that the Catholic Charities ministry addresses is to show how people are actually helped: what was the specific issue?; how was it resolved?; what did Catholic Charities do?; was there a government program that was essential to the process? The stories collected through this tool will be used to raise national awareness of the work of the Catholic Charities network including, but not limited to, posting to CCUSA’s website and online platforms, sharing with national media outlets and policymakers, and featuring in future issues of Charities USA. Please note: All submissions will clearly credit the respective member agency. SUBMIT YOUR STORY HERE.

The Laudato Si' Action Platform

Pope Francis is challenging Catholic communities and organizations across the world – including Catholic Charities agencies - to gradually work toward "total sustainability" in our common call to care for creation. This invitation is centered upon a Laudato Si’ Action Platform through which Catholic organizations publicly commit to a seven-year journey of ecological conversion. The action platform is framed across seven Laudato Si’ goals which reflect Catholic Social Teaching and provide “footsteps” in areas such as education, spirituality, the adoption of sustainable practices, community engagement, and a commitment to address poverty. Registration to commit to this process has now opened and will conclude on October 4, the Feast of Saint Francis. Read more here. You may also reach out to Scott Hurd, Vice President for Leadership Development and Catholic Identity at CCUSA.

Events and Webinars

Building Community to End Poverty Webinar

How can families experiencing poverty gain stability in the post-pandemic economy? How can volunteers overcome pandemic social isolation through meaningful relationships with others in their community? Through the Circles model, participating communities support families to get out of poverty and remove the barriers that stand in the way. In this webinar, Circles USA presenters will share what they’re learning about “building community to end poverty” at a variety of levels: (1.) Empowering families of low wealth to make gains in income, education, employment, home ownership, reliable transportation, social support, and emotional/physical wellbeing; (2.) Encouraging volunteers and staff to expand their knowledge of poverty, empathy, and engagement in their communities; (3.) Organizing communities to implement initiatives that remove systemic barriers to poverty reduction; (4.) Building relationships across all sectors, including the business/economic development stakeholders and policymakers; (5.) Fostering poverty reduction systems that tackle root causes of poverty. Date: July 7, 2021. Time: 2 PM EST. Registration here.

Register for "Laudato Si and the U.S. Catholic Church: A Conference Series on Our Common Home"

Registration is now open for “Laudato Si’ and the U.S. Catholic Church: A Conference Series on Our Common Home,” to be held virtually from July 13-15, and co-sponsored by the Catholic Climate Covenant and Creighton University. Headline speakers include Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, and Sister Ilia Delos, OSF, PhD, of Villanova University. Click here to register or for more information.

Mercy and Mental Health: Strengthening our Pastoral Response

Grant Opportunities and Resources

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 primarily use the FDIC Money Smart curriculum to teach clients how to enhance their financial skills and create positive banking relationships. AmeriCorps members can also provide other asset-development activities, including tax preparation, financial counseling, IDA enrollment, and much more. This program has a goal to help clients improve their financial literacy and navigate financial decisions more efficiently. If your agency is interested in learning more about this federal grant opportunity, please reach out to Abby Qualliotine.

Employment Opportunities

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.