Catholic Charities USA Responds to Presidential Executive Order

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Nov 17, 2010, 05:49 ET

Calls for greater commitment to innovative community-based poverty solutions

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA welcomes the Executive Order issued today by President Obama implementing certain reform recommendations made by the President's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships as an important affirmation of the contribution that faith-based organizations make in critical programs that form the safety net in this country.

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CCUSA President Rev. Larry Snyder, a member of the President's Advisory Council, said, "I want to applaud the work of my fellow Council members and the responsiveness of the Administration to the recommendations of the Council. This affirmation should also lead us to a larger conversation about the need to work together to reform the tattered safety net system. "

"In the face of questioning about the role of faith-based organizations in our society, implementation of the recommendations are critical to our ability to continue to provide services across the human services spectrum as we have for almost 300 years," Father Snyder added.

"In this time of national hardship, we must continue to push for reforms that open doors and break down barriers for those that we serve," he said. "More reform is needed within our system to continue to improve our nation's ability to alleviate the struggles endured by the historic numbers of Americans living in poverty today and prevent future generations of Americans from following in their footsteps."

The National Opportunity and Community Renewal Act, introduced in September in the House and Senate, represents an opportunity for federal government to reward local communities for implementing innovative solutions to poverty alleviation. Catholic Charities USA looks to President Obama to continue to embrace joint cooperation in the wake of this Executive Order. For more information about the legislation, visit http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/nocra.

For more information about Catholic Charities USA visit http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/

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 celebrates its centennial anniversary.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA