In an unprecedented action, Catholic Charities USA has drafted federal legislation that would take a new systemic change approach to ending poverty in America.

Introduced as a modest national pilot program, it proposes to establish new model experiments in 10 communities around the country in which traditional government anti-poverty programs are replaced by a more flexible and comprehensive approach.

If the pilot programs succeed as expected, they could become the first step toward realigning all U.S. antipoverty programs under a new model that focuses more on holistic poverty-exit plans than on program-specific relief of current poverty conditions without a clear overall plan for people to free themselves from the downward spiral of poverty

At least three of the communities would be rural – where poverty is even more endemic than in major metropolitan areas – and at least one would be in an area with a military base, another area of high poverty levels.

The CCUSA initiative marks the first time in history that Catholic Charities has initiated legislation, as distinct from supporting or opposing legislation introduced by political parties or other activists on the political scene.

Legislation to Revitalize How our Nation Addresses Poverty

Washington, DC– Sen. Robert P. Casey (D-PA) and Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) today introduced The National Opportunity and Community Renewal Act, S. 3854, a culmination of twelve months of work by Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) in their Centennial year to identify innovative strategies existing in communities throughout the country that will serve to revamp our nation’s approach to poverty prevention and alleviation.

“With this legislation, today we tell the tens of millions of Americans living in poverty that there is a new hope. That they are not destined to live in poverty for their entire lives,” said Fr. Snyder. “That with the help provided in this legislation, people in need will be propelled onto a path of self-sufficiency, enabling them to achieve new legacies of health and happiness for their families.”

The National Opportunity and Community Renewal Act updates current service eligibility criteria, set by approximation of a 1960’s food budget, using both the Human Development Index and the Supplemental Poverty Measurement. Recognizing that individuals and households who receive social services do not require the same amount or type of resources, this legislation establishes a tiered system for determining those needs. In an effort to develop an adequate measurement for evaluation of poverty relief programs, it also encourages the design of a system that would incorporate the gathering and analysis of qualitative information alongside quantitative data to illustrate the success (or failure) of existing programs and in turn inform decisions to invest in those programs.

“This legislation represents an essential step forward if our country expects to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those struggling with poverty,” said CCUSA’s Candy S. Hill, Senior Vice President for Social Policy and Government Affairs. “For far too long our nation has been satisfied with the status quo and our safety nets have suffered. The National Opportunity and Community Renewal Act puts a focus on market driven solutions and results oriented programs to make sustainable change for the 43 million Americans living in poverty today.”

Catholic Charities USA has served as advocate for the poor for over one hundred years.

For more information on The National Opportunity and Community Renewal Act, visit http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/netcommunity/Document.Doc?id=2397.