The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has launched its annual Catholic Charities Appeal, as well as its 40th annual Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl campaign.
The Catholic Charities Appeal is the archdiocese’s largest fundraising initiative that directly supports local Catholic Charities. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput encourages the faithful within the archdiocese to support the effort to reach a goal of $10 million, a goal that the appeal has reached in each of the last two years. In 2014, there were more than 50,000 donors to the appeal, helping provide services and programs to the most vulnerable people in the region.
The annual appeal supplements other funding sources for programs and services administered throughout the five counties of the archdiocese, serving the elderly, disabled, hungry, homeless, children and families in need. Beneficiaries include Catholic Social Services, Nutritional Development Services, housing programs and clothing programs.
As part of the appeal, the archdiocese invites the public to join Catholic Charities Night with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, March 6, at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers will take on the Utah Jazz at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $27 to $42, with a portion of the proceeds being donated directly to Catholic Charities Appeal. Purchasers should visit www.nba.com/sixers/promocode and enter the promo code “CCA” to help the appeal. Groups should contact Caroline Kasper at 215–558–2758 or carolinekasper@sixers.com
During the event, Catholic Charities will receive on-court recognition as part of the Sixers’ Non-Profit of the Night Awareness Series. Ashley McElveen-Clark, assistant director of the DePaul Out of School Time program, will receive the Heroes Among Us Award.
Furthermore, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is also conducting its 40th annual Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl, a nationwide Lenten faith-in-action program for families and faith communities. The program encourages participants to live in solidarity with the poor through prayer, fasting and alms giving.
Parishioners in the archdiocese donated more than $400,000 to Rice Bowl during Lent 2014. Of that amount, $101,735 remained in the Philadelphia region to help the Office for Nutritional Development Services fight hunger in the region. The remainder was distributed to Catholic Relief Services to combat hunger and see to other basic human needs overseas.
For information, visit www.crsricebowl.org ••
