Catholic Charities USA Available for Comment on Aug. 26 Release of U.S. Census Bureau Data on Poverty in the United States

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The serious problem of poverty in America will again be in the news, as the U.S. Census Bureau is scheduled to release its latest poverty figures on Tuesday, Aug. 26. Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), and Candy Hill, senior vice president for social policy and government affairs, will be available for interviews about the new census data and how to reduce poverty in our nation.

On Aug. 26, the U.S. Census Bureau will be releasing its Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 Report. Last year, the Census Bureau announced that 36.5 million Americans were living in poverty in 2006, with a poverty rate of 12.3 percent.

Catholic Charities USA, which last year launched a campaign to cut the U.S. poverty rate in half by 2020, is available for comment on the new poverty statistics, Catholic Charities’ work in reducing poverty, and changes needed to alleviate poverty in America.

To schedule an interview with Father Snyder or Candy Hill at Catholic Charities USA, contact:

Shelley Borysiewicz

Manager of Media Relations

Catholic Charities USA

(703) 236-6218

sborysiewicz@catholiccharitiesusa.org

“It is a tragedy that while the United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, poverty is so widespread in this country. Our Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America is about who we are as a nation. We must no longer ignore the injustice of poverty and the extreme inequality in America, and instead must seize this opportunity to advocate for changes that promote human dignity and the common good,” said Father Snyder.

Catholic Charities agencies nationwide, which serve nearly 8 million people in need each year, see first-hand the devastating impact poverty has on families and communities. They have been coping with dramatic increases in demand for basic needs assistance, primarily among working poor families.