[Hpn] Poverty Awareness Month in USA - Catholic Campaign for Human Development press release Development press release

[Tom Boland]

 FWD  January 2001 is USA Poverty Awareness Month

 http://www.povertyusa.org-gives
 Catholic Campaign for Human Development is one of the
 largest private funding sources of self-help programs for the
 poor in America. In 2000, the CCHD provided grants in excess of
 $10 million to support community and economic development...

 http://politics.yahoo.com/politics/features/us_newswire/20011/0102-103.html
 [ CCHD press release ]

 'POVERTY IN AMERICA AWARENESS MONTH' FOCUSES ATTENTION
 ON 32 MILLION AMERICANS LIVING IN POVERTY

 WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Catholic Campaign
 for Human Development (CCHD) today announced the initiation of
 Poverty in America Awareness Month. The month is designed to
 draw attention to the plight of more than 32 million Americans
 who live in poverty.

 As part of the month's activities, the CCHD will release the
 results of a national opinion poll commissioned to determine
 attitudes toward poverty. They will distribute public service
 broadcast announcements and print ads that dramatically
 highlight the extent of poverty.

 Although poverty rates declined slightly from 1999 to 2000,
 more than 32 million Americans still live in poverty. The
 breadth of poverty includes farm families, immigrants, the
 working poor, undereducated adults, the disabled poor and
 children of all ages. One out of every six children in America
 lives in poverty.

 The U.S. Census Bureau considers the poverty threshold for a
 family of four to be $17,184. Other studies have shown that
 Americans believe it takes closer to $35,000 annually to
 adequately house, clothe and feed a family of four.

 Poverty in America Awareness Month will be observed annually
 in January. According to Father Robert Vitillo, executive
 director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development,
 "December brings outpourings of good will and concern for the
 poor, but in January the nation returns to its usual routine and
 the poor are still poor. By focusing on poverty in January, we
 hope to remind Americans early each year that poverty remains
 very much a part of American life.

 "Low unemployment rates and the creation of new wealth have
 conspired to make many Americans believe that poverty and
 homelessness in the U.S. have disappeared," Vitillo said. "In
 fact, the strong economy has simply pushed poverty into the
 background, which enables otherwise caring people to forget
 about the poor and ignore the evidence of poverty that they see
 in their communities. It is shameful that a nation that
 controls 29 percent of the world's wealth has so many people
 living in poverty," Vitillo said.

 All citizens are being asked to undertake individual or
 community efforts to alleviate poverty, not just during the
 month of January, but throughout the year. A Web site --
 http://www.povertyusa.org-gives additional details of the
 campaign and offers suggestions for community action.

 Information about Poverty in America Awareness Month also is
 available from the office of communications at the Catholic
 Campaign for Human Development. Telephone 202-541-3364 or write
 to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, 3211 Fourth St,
 NE, Washington, DC 20017-1194.

 ------
 The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is one of the
 largest private funding sources of self-help programs for the
 poor in America. In 2000, the CCHD provided grants in excess of
 $10 million to support community and economic development
 projects in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and
 the Virgin Islands. Grants are based on need and awarded
 without regard to race, religious affiliation or ethic origin.
 The Campaign is sponsored by the U.S. Catholic bishops and is
 supported by an annual collection in all U.S. Catholic parishes.

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