How to Donate to the Catholic Charities USA

Catholic Charities USA is a major social services arm of the Roman Catholic Church, providing a wide range of services aimed at fighting poverty and empowering communities and traditional families. Most Catholic Charities programming occurs at the local diocesan level, and is often tightly controlled by the local Catholic archbishop. About 90 percent of funds donated to Catholic Charities USA go directly to programs and services.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Funds or other assets to donate

Learn About How Catholic Charities USA Works Nationally

1. Read about CCUSA's primary national campaign on the Catholic Charities USA poverty web page (see Resources below).

2. Familiarize yourself with the spiritually driven process that guides Catholic Charities in its work.

3. Check out the "20 Things You Can Do to Address Poverty" on the main website to learn the 20 steps that fit into its basic themes of Reflect, Get Informed and Get Organized.

Learn How Catholic Charities USA Works in Your Diocese

4. Check out your local diocesan Catholic Charities on the CCUSA "About Your Catholic Charities Agency" web page (see Resources below).

5. Call your diocesan Catholic Charities office and ask for literature about local programs, fund raising efforts, volunteer opportunities and layperson participation.

Donate to Catholic Charities USA

6. Donate online via a secure page by using the CCUSA Donate Online web page (see Resources below). Donate by mail to Catholic Charities USA, PO Box 7068, Merrifield, VA 22116-7068. Donate by phone by calling [phone] with your VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express card.

7. Review other options for giving, on the Donate to Catholic Charities USA web page to see if they fit your circumstances (see Resources below). These include Employer Matching Gifts, Appreciated Securities, Monthly Electronic Funds Transfer, Planned Philanthropy and Memorial Gifts.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your pastor about other opportunities to donate at the parish level, including the annual Catholic Community Appeal on the first Sunday after Thanksgiving.
• After the church sex scandal, many have scrutinized whether Catholic Charities funds have been used to ease pressures for archdioceses facing huge financial settlements. Contact your diocesan Catholic Charities office to ensure that funds are dedicated to fighting poverty.

Resources

• Catholic Charities USA poverty webpage
• Catholic Charities USA--Registration Information