National collection helps local poor

When local Catholics contribute to the Catholic Cam-paign for Human Development during the weekend of Nov. 20-21, they will be helping organizations such as A Regional Initiative Supporting Empower-ment (ARISE).

ARISE is a coalition of 35 religious congregations and community groups. Its membership includes Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Muslim, Presbyter-ian and Unitarian groups as well as neighborhood organizations in Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer. Members take a proactive approach to helping the poor and revitalizing the region.

"ARISE in many ways has similar desires as Catholic Char-ities," said Dick Dana, a past president of ARISE. "We are looking after the interest of those who can't look after their own interests."

Mr. Dana explained that, rather than providing direct services, ARISE "attempts the more difficult task of changing the system."

Some of the successes ARISE has experienced include:

• securing a $400 million housing development fund to develop affordable housing in urban and rural areas of New York State;

• successfully lobbying the State Legislature to increase funding by $1 million for the Liberty Partnership program, which works to get students at risk of dropping out of school through high school and into college. The program has a retention rate of 98 percent per year; and

• convincing the Albany School Board to hire a minority hiring coordinator for its recent $187 million school construction project. This resulted in the hiring of a high percentage of minorities and women for the project. ARISE has received funding for six years from the Catholic Campaign for Human Develop-ment. Mr. Dana said the financial support from the collection has been critical to the organization's success.

Main support
"We have been extremely happy that Catholic Charities and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is sticking by us through thick and thin," he said. "Over the years, the support from a financial standpoint has been the lifeline of ARISE."

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development provided a total of more than $7.7 million to 250 grantees throughout the United States during the past year.

The collection funds programs that empower poor and marginalized people to make decisions, seek solutions to local problems and find ways to improve their lives and neighborhoods. Economic development initiatives help low-income people develop new businesses, create new jobs and develop assets owned by families and communities.

CCHD also provides educational opportunities for Catholics to learn about poverty, interact with those affected by it and reflect on a faith response to the problem.

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development was founded in 1970 by the Catholic bishops of the U.S. as the Church's domestic anti-poverty program. For nearly 40 years, CCHD has helped make long-term economic changes in communities across the United States.

This year's campaign theme is, "Families are struggling. Faith is calling."

(11-19-09)