More than $31,000 given to fight poverty

Twenty-one grants totaling $31,200 were awarded to local agencies fighting poverty by Bishop McManus in the Chancery on Monday. The money came from funds taken up by the 2023 Catholic Campaign for Human Development collection.

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the domestic anti-poverty program of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1969. In the Diocese of Worcester, 75 percent of the collection is reserved for use with local programs and the remaining 25 percent is sent to the office for national grants awarded around the country. Learn more at usccb.org/cchd.

“Although the individual grant amounts may be small, the impact these programs have on people’s lives is great,” said Bishop McManus. “I thank God for the dedication of the many volunteers who are the backbone of these 22 programs and pray that we will raise more money this year on the weekend of November 24 to expand the impact they have on our communities.”

Two $4,000 grants were awarded to St. Peter’s Free Medical Program, Worcester and St. Anne’s Free Medical Program, Shrewsbury. Four $2,000 grants were awarded to St. Bernard’s gym for youth outreach at Our Lady of Providence Parish, Worcester; healthcare for the homeless at St. Luke’s Guesthouse, Southbridge; homeless prevention program of St. Vincent de Paul, Uxbridge; and the Southbridge Senior Center’s Latino Program.

Fourteen $1,000 grants went to utility payment assistance at Catholic Charities, Leominster; food for undocumented families at Catholic Charities, Milford; food for the homeless at Catholic Charities, Southbridge; utility payment assistance at Catholic Charities, Worcester; Daily Bread Food Pantry, Inc. at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Milford; the hunger program at Dismas House; Our Neighbors Kitchen at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Winchendon; St. James Outreach at Our Lady of Hope Parish, Grafton; St. Bernard’s Bucky’s Food Pantry at Our Lady of Providence Parish, Worcester; Ecumenical Food Shelf at the Oxford Ecumenical Council/St. Roch Parish; maternal and child health at Pernet Family Health Service, Worcester; infant needs  at St. Anne Parish, Shrewsbury; St. Anthony’s Pantry at Sacred Heart-St. Catherine of Sweden Parish, Worcester; Enhancing the Catholic Imagination at Visitation House, Worcester.

John XXI Community Breakfast Program at St. Patrick, Whitinsville received $700 and $500 was given to the Garden Project at St. Joseph Parish, Fitchburg.