This week Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS) served as the host agency for a regional Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) homeless advocacy forum. The gatherings focused on the plight of those experiencing homelessness and how to best serve them at the community, state, regional, and national levels.
CSS staff along with Catholic Charities agencies, Catholic organizations, Catholic parishes and other faith communities, and local collaborators were in attendance for the forum. Presenters from CCUSA staff, Catholic Charities leaders, community leaders, and local, state, and federal agencies spoke on topics including navigating community resources, the state of homelessness in the United States, and legislative advocacy.
“Catholic Social Services is proud to host this regional convening and bring to the forefront the homelessness crisis that our area is facing. Collaboration and collective solutions are the only way to address this multi-faceted issue,” said Mrs. Heather Huot, Secretary for Catholic Human Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “Catholic Social Services is excited to be a part of the conversation with Catholic Charities USA to bring about legislative change so that everyone has a place to call home.”
Throughout 2024, CCUSA is hosting a series of advocacy training forums around the country to increase awareness surrounding the homelessness crisis and build a network of informed advocates committed to influencing local, state, and federal policymakers.
Participants have the opportunity to share challenges, ideas, solutions, and best practices for addressing homelessness. Federal level advocacy training is also available.
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Editor’s Note: Catholic Social Services provides safe shelter for thousands of men, women, and children. For more information on Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit https://cssphiladelphia.org/.
A member of Caritas Internationalis, Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is the membership office for Catholic Charities agencies nationwide. CCUSA’s members provide help and create hope for more than 15 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. For more information on CCUSA, please visit https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/.
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