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Overview: Hurricane Ian devastated Florida the last few days, even while Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands continue to recover from Hurricane Fiona. CCUSA is accepting donations to help local relief efforts in each of the places, both now and in the long term. As of this writing, both the House and the Senate passed a short-term government-funding bill, which will expire Dec. 16. The bill will now be sent to the president for his signature. The bill includes military aid and economic support for Ukraine, which has support from lawmakers in both parties (though more among Senate Republicans than those in the House.) A deal reached last week on reauthorization of the FDA's user fee programs will also hitch a ride on the stop gap bill. Also included will be funding for the water crisis in Jackson, Miss., funds to help resettle Afghan refugees and heating assistance for low-income families as we head into the winter. Unfortunately, supplemental funding for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP), especially while the Catholic Charities network is working to serve newcomers, and the Afghan Adjustment Act, failed to make it into the final continuing resolution. The Catholic Church celebrates Respect Life Month during October, setting apart the month as a special time to reflect on how we can build a culture that protects life from conception to natural death. The 2022 CCUSA Annual Gathering: The Annual Gathering took place this week in Baltimore. Catholic Charities of Baltimore, the host of the event, celebrated its 100th anniversary. Sister Donna Markham gave her President's Address on Wednesday morning. She focused on the moment of encounter when Catholic Charities staff minister to clients and other people in need, bringing life to Jesus' words in Matthew 25. Sister Donna also announced her retirement after seven years of service as the president and CEO of CCUSA. CCUSA's Board of Directors will conduct a nationwide search this fall for Sister's successor, who will be in place sometime next summer.  On Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, Sister Donna Markham, OP, PhD, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, addresses a full house of Annual Gathering attendees and reflects on how staff of Catholic Charities agencies bring to life the words of Jesus in Matthew 25. |
The Social Policy team hosted a Community of Practice meeting on Tuesday during which plans for new resources pertaining to advocacy and social justice were announced. The team will create one-pagers and webinars that help Catholic Charities agencies practice advocacy informed by Catholic Social Teaching. The team also hosted the Social Policy Forum on Thursday afternoon. Participants heard about the overall advocacy work of the Social Policy team, and they responded with comments and reactions. A couple of participants suggested setting up a Google form accessible to everyone in the Catholic Charities network. The form would be used to compile information about local agency advocacy efforts and thereby be a resource for other agencies. Participants also mentioned local priorities that could benefit from the Social Policy team's help: e.g., legacy of racial segregation in housing in Lubbock, Texas; availability of work permits for refugees; maintaining housing for vulnerable senior citizens; etc. Hurricanes Ian and Fiona donations. CCUSA is accepting donations to help Catholic Charities agencies in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida along with other impacted areas to respond with needed disaster supplies now and a long-term response after the storms pass. Access the link here. White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health recommended a number of plans to end hunger and to curb diseases caused by bad diets. Some of the plans will require approval from Congress. The plans include a "medically tailored meals pilot," through the Medicaid program which would provide meals made with a particular individual in mind. Expanding access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, allowing more students to receive free school meals, and other food-related items were put forward. Conference speakers also stressed the importance of public and private partnerships to end hunger and improve healthy eating. Read more here. Economy: In the week ending September 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial [unemployment] claims was 193,000, a decrease of 16,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised down by 4,000 from 213,000 to 209,000. The 4-week moving average was 207,000, a decrease of 8,750 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised down by 1,000 from 216,750 to 215,750. |
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