Catholic Charities USA and Major Nonprofit Partners to Host Inaugural National Poverty Summit

Event to Lead a New National Conversation on Poverty Reduction and How Our Nation Addresses Poverty

ALEXANDRIA, Va.,  Sept. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), in conjunction with nine leading nonprofit partners, will host the Inaugural National Poverty Summit on September 18th and 19th in Fort Worth, TX in an effort to further a nationwide movement to reduce poverty in America.

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The event will feature a call to action by White House Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes, as well as a keynote address by Mark Shriver, Senior Vice President of US Operations for Save the Children.  Organizing partners include: The American Human Development Project, Bread for the World, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, CCUSA, the Corporation for Enterprise Development, the Coalition on Human Needs, Feeding America, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, Save the Children, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

"The summit has been designed to launch a national conversation about poverty—one that will lead to action," says Candy Hill, Senior Vice President of Social Policy and Government Affairs at CCUSA.  "We need to collectively re-imagine the way that America addresses poverty and develop stronger, sustainable strategies to reduce poverty."

The event will revolve around interactive workshops and an "idea marketplace," which will bring participants together in small groups to discuss specific issues, initiatives, and ideas related to poverty reduction.

Also featured will be a panel of experts, who will share their experiences on the frontlines of poverty reduction innovation.  The panel will be moderated by John Bridgeland, CEO of Civic Enterprises, and will include: Rev. David Beckman, President of Bread for the World; Andrea Levere, President of CFED; and Nan Roman, President and CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

CCUSA's partnership in this and future summits will contribute to the organization's ongoing Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America.

Catholic Charities USA's members provide help and create hope for more than 10 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. For almost 300 years, Catholic Charities agencies have worked to reduce poverty by providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from health care and job training to food and housing. In 2010, Catholic Charities USA celebrated its centennial anniversary.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA