WASHINGTON – This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), the domestic anti-poverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Join CCHD for a virtual event on May 14-15, 2021, 2:00 p.m. EST to 5:00 p.m. EST to celebrate 5 decades of working to end poverty in the United States by partnering with initiatives aimed at confronting the root causes of economic injustice and breaking the cycle of poverty. Panel discussions will cover the current state of the Church, our society, and a look ahead to the next few decades of community transformation.

Ralph McCloud, director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development said, “This is a time to reflect, remember, and celebrate the amazing work of the Church and everything we have done. Having this celebration during the pandemic, especially, reminds us of how important this work is even still; we’ve seen job loss and material impact of COVID, but we’ve also seen so much resilience, adaptability, and dedication to the communities we serve. This anniversary is a reminder that the work of CCHD has mattered and continues to matter.”

Event Speakers:

  • Cardinal Peter K.A. Turkson, Prefect, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development will give the keynote on Saturday, May 15, 2021
  • Cardinal Blase J Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago; Consultant, USCCB’s Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs; Co-Chair, National Dialogue Initiative with Muslims; Chair, USCCB’s Subcommittee for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe; Consultant, Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism will give the keynote and opening prayer on Friday, May 14, 2021.
  • Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark; Member, USCCB’s Committee on National Collections and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism; Chair of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on the Church in Africa
  • Msgr. Jeffry Burrill, S.T.L., General Secretary, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
  • Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo, Secretary-General, International Catholic Migration Commission, and former Director of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
  • Gabby Trejo, Executive Director, Sacramento ACT (Area Congregations Together)
  • Sr. Julia Walsh, FSPA, Spiritual Director, Writer, Educator, and Catholic Campaign for Human Development Intern with the Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity in the Archdiocese of Chicago
  • Kimberly Mazyck, Senior Manager of Engagement and Educational Outreach at Catholic Charities USA
  • Juan F. Soto, Organizing Director of Gamaliel Network and Director of the Gamaliel of Metro Chicago

The panels will be moderated by:

  • Kerry Alys Robinson, Founding Executive Director and Partner for Global and National Initiatives, Leadership Roundtable
  • Anna Misleh Gordon, Project Manager for the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University and former CCHD intern for the Diocese of Stockton, California

Most workshops and presentations at CCHD’s 50th Anniversary virtual event are open to media coverage. Journalists are invited to download a credential application form and submit it for review and approval. More information about CCHD and the 50th Anniversary is available online: PovertyUSA.org/CCHD50.
 

###
Media Contacts:
Chieko Noguchi or Miguel Guilarte
202-541-3200