Catholic Campaign for Human Development

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic Bishops, working to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ "... to bring good news to the poor ... release to captives ... sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free." (Luke 4:18)

Building a Strong Catholic Foundation

CCHD has a complementary mission of educating on poverty and its causes. This strategy of education for justice and helping people who are poor speak and act for themselves reflects the mandate of the Scriptures and the principles of Catholic social teaching.

Funds for CCHD’s work come from a national collection, held each September in all parishes in the Archdiocese of Seattle. With your support, we can join Catholics across America to break the cycle of poverty.

CCHD Local Grants

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development local grant application packet is available each spring. The Annual Campaigns Office accepts grant applications from organizations that support the efforts of people with low incomes to change the social, political and economic conditions which cause and perpetuate poverty in Western Washington. A preference is given to organizations controlled by low-income people. The 2023 Local Grant program is currently open.

2023 Grant Materials

2023 CCHD Local Grant Recipients

Catherine Place
Catherine Place is a women's center providing long-term advocacy, support, leadership development, financial aid, healing arts, and holistic support. They offer bilingual support to individuals facing trauma, poverty, violence, illness, and immigration challenges. Catherine Place offers Pierce County's only Spanish-language domestic violence survivor support group, and a variety of bi-lingual holistic groups throughout the year. These groups provide a means of connection to provide essential resources, education, and support in escaping poverty. This funding will allow Catherine Place to institute a hybrid model for greater accessibility including the purchase of needed equipment and supporting meeting facilitators.

Capital Homecare Cooperative
Capital Homecare Cooperative is a worker owned homecare agency that provides homecare services to elders and people with disabilities in Thurston, Lewis, and Mason Counties. The grant would be used to fund scholarships for workers to get the training and certification they need to become Home Care Aides, a requirement in Washington State. Grant funds would result in expanding services and strengthening the coop through hiring 10 new certified caregivers and supporting their continued education. In addition, Capital Homecare Cooperative will use grant funds to grow their service area to Gray's Harbor County.

Heartsong Homecare Co-op
Heartsong Homecare Cooperative is a worker co-op providing in home care to elders and people with disabilities. They serve Skagit and Island counties, providing the services that allow clients to stay at home and age in place. As with the above award to Capital Homecare Cooperative, Heartsong Homecare Co-op will use grant funds to support scholarships for workers to get the training and certification they need to become Home Care Aides and result in expanding services and strengthening the coop.

King County Community Partnership for Transition Solutions
KCCPTS has worked for over 16 years in partnerships that include federal, tribal, state, county, city, faith & community-based non-profits, local community Colleges and formerly justice involved individuals. Grant funds will be used to develop and expand a leadership team of formerly justice involved individuals who will work with the justice involved community to foster connection to resources, navigate barriers to successful transition, and deepen understanding of systemic challenges. Community formation engagements will provide knowledge of solutions through understanding of the systemic challenges and connect reentering justice involved persons to policymakers at the state, local, and judicial areas of government.

New Americans Alliance for Policy and Research
Established in 2021 and located in Kent, NAAPR's mission is to promote the prosperity, influence, and inclusion of refugees and immigrants through advocacy, education, policy analysis, and research. Grant funds will help support outreach and focus groups to engage more immigrant communities in advocating and inclusion of refugees in policy decisions and solutions, raising awareness about issues impacting refugees, building refugee communities capacity for self-advocacy, and increasing relationships with policymakers so they are aware of the consequences of policies and legislation pertaining to refugees. Funding will result in refugees engaging in all aspects advocacy and policy, including organizing communities to participate, preparing individuals for effective advocacy, and shaping messages and agenda.

CCHD National Grants

"The projects assisted by the Campaign have helped to create a more human and just social order, and they enable many people to achieve an increased measure of self-reliance." — Pope John Paul II

The following are current recipients of national grants from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. These funded projects operate in Western Washington. CCHD is committed to supporting groups of low-income individuals as they work to break the cycle of poverty and improve their communities. By helping those on the margins in our society to participate in the decisions and actions that affect their lives, CCHD empowers them to move beyond poverty.

An added benefit of receiving grants is the education that occurs in our parishes when connections are made with the funded organizations. CCHD is a unique effort in our Church, linking Catholic social teaching and organizing at local levels.

2023 CCHD National Grant Recipients

Through the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. To learn more about CCHD and the CCHD national grants process, and for a full listing of grants made in the U.S. through the USCCB, with approval by the local (arch)diocese, please visit the CCHD web site.

AMHO — Association of Manufactured Homeowners
Recognizing the unique legal and economic challenges manufactured homeowners face in today’s difficult housing market, the Association of Manufactured Homeowners strives to protect and expand the rights and interests of manufactured homeowners in the State of Washington through communication, education, negotiation and preservation of existing communities.

Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center

Informed by the charisms of our sponsoring communities, envisions an equitable world of love, justice, and mercy. Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center is part of an intergenerational web of faith-based communities and other organizations acting to center the voices of those directly impacted by injustice. They build a culture of encounter and inclusion by sharing resources to uphold the dignity and care of all creation.

Ridgeline Homecare Cooperative

A member-owned homecare agency in Clallam County which provides homecare services to elderly and people with disabilities. Their work allows the community's elders to age in place, at home. And, through worker ownership, Ridgeline offer its members a respectful, equitable profession in an industry plagued with worker exploitation.

Thurston Housing Land Trust

A democratic, community-based housing land trust operating in Thurston County, Washington. The mission is to create affordable housing for low and moderate income people as a means for building equity and pathways to ownership. The Trust seeks public and private funding through grants, financing and donations, including lands or properties. The scope of activities is open to socially valuable uses other than housing. The Trust is committed to multiple levels of democratically inclusive governance across the organization or property, where appropriate, that balances needs of members, residents, and donors.

Washington Homecare Cooperative A newly incorporated secondary co-op with a mission to support and develop homecare co-ops in Washington State. The membership is currently made up of the 5 homecare co-ops in WA: Peninsula Homecare Co-op, Circle of Life Caregivers Co-op, Ridgeline Homecare Co-op, Capital Homecare Co-op and Heartsong Homecare Co-op. The Washington Homecare Cooperative provides back office services which may include invoicing, insurance billing, joint health insurance administration, collaborative marketing, research and policy development.

CCHD Collection and General Resources

CCHD Links

CCHD - Catholic Campaign for Human Development — View
A national program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, CCHD supports the efforts of low-income people seeking to change the social, political and economic conditions that perpetuate poverty.
Poverty USA — View
We Are Salt and Light — View
This online project from the USCCB includes resources intended as a catalyst for both the New Evangelization and the continuing development of vibrant communities living the Gospel in the United States.
The New Evangelization — View
The New Evangelization calls us to make our lives a proclamation of the Good News through our witness of love and justice. Learn more through the handout, “The New Evangelization: Disciples on Mission in the World”
New Evangelization and Social Justice Quotes — View
… About social justice as “an integral part of evangelization, a constitutive dimension of preaching the Gospel, and an essential part of the Church's mission"
Journey to Justice daylong retreat — View
The Journey to Justice retreat from the USCCB/CCHD facilitates an experience of encounter with people living in poverty and helps participants grow in understanding of the root causes of poverty in their community and reflect on how the Gospel challenges us to respond.
Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth) lesson plans and individual study guide — View
This resource can help you learn more about Pope Benedict's encyclical, which explores Catholic teaching on human development, economic life and other pressing global issues.
Poverty Awareness Month (January) — View
Celebrate this month with an online and print calendar and daily reflections. You can also sign up to have daily reflections emailed to you during January, from the USCCB/CCHD.
The Pope’s message at the Meeting of Popular Movements in California — View
Responses to questions about CCHD Grantmaking — View

Subcommittee on the CCHD

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is overseen by a subcommittee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The USCCB is an assembly of the hierarchy of bishops who jointly exercise pastoral functions on behalf of the Christian faithful of the United States and the U.S. Virgin Islands.