Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America

Catholic Charities of San Antonio Helps Low-Income Families Access $30 million in Refunds

A program coordinated by Catholic Charities of San Antonio and its coalition partners is the nation’s largest volunteer program, and last year helped 30,000 low- and moderate-income people fill out tax forms at no charge, said Steve Saldana, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of San Antonio. Refunds have increased dramatically from $2 million only four years ago to $30 million last year, and the goal is to exceed that tally this year, he added.

These tax credits – designed specifically for the working poor – can mean the difference between a family needing to pay taxes and getting a good refund.

The average refund from the

San Antonio

service is between $2,500 and $4,000, Saldana said, and for a family struggling to make ends meet, that amount of money could go a long way to help pay bills for food, utilities or housing.

“When you’re making $20,000 a year, this money is the difference between being able to buy a car or to buy a house,” Saldana said, emphasizing that this tax credit applied to taxes paid by the working poor through their jobs. “This is money that they have earned; it’s not a freebie,” he said.

Saldana said the free tax assistance service in

San Antonio

compares with private companies that would charge between $300 and $600 for the same service. The

San Antonio

volunteer program also has set up rapid return programs for $10, which is a fraction of the cost charged by private companies.

The typical client coming to the free tax assistance program in

San Antonio

is a single mother with children, and Saldana said that Catholic Charities has set up one-stop centers where qualified families can learn about and sign up for other programs such as food stamps or child health insurance programs.

Poverty in the Diocese of Albany - A Threat to the Common Good - guest post

Many ask for ideas about how to mobilize around the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America.  This PSM News & Notes submission highlights the work of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany.

Catholic Charities of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany has joined the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America and its goal to cut poverty in half in the United States by 2020.

To launch this campaign, the agency has published "Poverty in the Diocese of Albany: A Threat to the Common Good." This report provides a portrait of poverty in the 14 counties of the diocese and suggests public policies that address the main factors that contribute to poverty. The report was written as a resource for parishes, social justice committees, faith formation programs and Catholic schools as they advocate on behalf of those in need in their communities. It includes general public policy suggestions in each of five issue areas: income insecurity, education, hunger and inadequate nutrition, health care and housing. A supplement will be issued each year to inform Catholics and their concerned partners about specific initiatives that state and federal legislators will be considering.

Catholic Charities USA: the Earned Income Tax Credit- Information and Outreach

Join us for a Webinar on January 31 Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/678098158 Catholic Charities USA is hosting a webinar on Thursday, January 31st at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time with John Wancheck of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a national expert on EITC and Claudie Burchfield, of Catholic Social Services, Diocese of Charlotte and the Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity in Murphy, North Carolina.  Claudie and her staff run an EITC outreach initiative linked to financial education that supports debt reduction and savings with the EITC refund.  To learn more about the EITC program and how to enhance your work we would invite you to join us for the webinar. Title: Catholic Charities USA: the Earned Income Tax Credit- Information and Outreach Date: Thursday, January 31, 2008 Time: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.3.9 (Panther®) or newer

Report: One in Three District Children in Poverty

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/17/AR2008011702160.html?hpid=moreheadlines

January 10, 2008 Marks one year anniversary of the Campaign!

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America.

In 2007, over 4600 individuals and 390 organizations have endorsed the campaign- in 2008 we want that number to GROW! We need all people of good will to endorse the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America and take action.

How will you mark the one year anniversary?

• Make it your goal for the day to get 10 people to Endorse the Campaign!
• Read the highlights of 2007 and take the quiz
• Learn how you can make poverty a priority in the 2008 elections
• Join Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America Facebook Group

Poverty is a problem that affects us all

Poverty is a problem that impacts us all

For those in Michigan lucky enough to see poverty as someone else's problem, or no more of one than the moment of guilt as one breezes past the Salvation Army red buckets over the holidays, there's news for you: Poverty in Michigan is everyone's problem. While solutions may be maddeningly elusive, Michigan ignores poverty at its peril.

A recent report from the Michigan League of Human Services won't come as shocking news to anyone in this state. It found that, over the course of this decade, poverty levels have risen, and more and more Michigan families are being squeezed between declining or stagnant wages and ever-rising prices read more

Charities struggle to keep up with need

Charities struggle to keep up with need
More seek help amid higher unemployment