Catholic Charities USA to Testify Before House Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Candy Hill, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Social Policy for Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA)—among the nation's largest human service organizations working to reduce poverty in America—will testify on housing counseling Wednesday (September 14) at a hearing held before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity chaired by Congresswoman Judy Biggert from Illinois' 13th District.

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"Housing has always been a primary area of service delivery for Catholic Charities throughout its 100 year history, and is a major concern presently in our work to serve those in need and reduce poverty in America," said Ms. Hill.  "We very much appreciate the opportunity to come before this Subcommittee and provide input and data on the critical importance of housing counseling based on our experience as a national housing counseling intermediary for more than the past ten (10) years and to underscore the  value to so many in these challenging economic times."

Today's testimony immediately precedes CCUSA's annual conference, to be held this weekend in Ft. Worth, TX.  The event will include the first annual National Poverty Summit, which will focus on new sustainable ways for the nation to address poverty. Among others, Melody Barnes, White House Domestic Policy Council Director, and Mark Shriver, Senior Vice President of US Operations for Save the Children, will be featured speakers.  The National Poverty Summit is hosted by a partnership of CCUSA, The American Human Development Project, Bread for the World, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, 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.

Catholic Charities USA's members provide help and create hope for more than 9 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