CC Collection 23
Parish Manual
Catholic Charities Collection April 22 & 23, 2023
Dear Pastor / Parish Life Director,
I want to thank you for your support of last year’s Second Collection to benefit Catholic Charities. The generosity of our community is so heartfelt. It is overwhelming to witness the outpouring of kindness our parishes have shown for our neighbors in need.
I am pleased to share that the next Catholic Charities Collection will be held over the weekend of April 22/23rd. Funds collected will remain within our Diocese to help people living in our Diocese.
We have created a guide that will provide you with simple and easy communication tools for the collection, including bulletin announcements and talking points sharing the many ways Catholic Charities serves neighbors in need.
We must come together to take care of one another. With the inflation rate still so high, many in our communities are still struggling to put food on the table, or are having to decide between medication and utilities.
I cannot thank you enough for all that you and your parish community do in support of our efforts and the efforts of so many organizations to care for our sisters and brothers. If you have any questions about the information do not hesitate to contact Catholic Charities’ Annual Fund Manager, Laurie Beach at 518-641-6831 or Laurie.beach@ccrcda.org.
Thank you again for your support. I am truly grateful for your continued partnership.
In gratitude and peace,
Sr. Betsy Van Deusen, CSJ
Chief Executive Officer
Second Collection Timeline
Preparation Weekends
April 15 & 16
• Pulpit announcement
• Publish bulletin notice / social media post
• Add Prayer of the Faithful
Second Collection Weekend
April 22 & 23
• Pulpit announcement
• Publish bulletin notice / share video
• Consider working themes of second collection into Homily
• Add Prayer of the Faithful
Post Appeal Weekends
Fiscal follow-up – provide check for second collection and accounting, if possible, to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany.
Please note: In an effort to know the Catholic Charities supporters who responded positively to this collection, Catholic Charities is requesting to receive back a printout of those parishioners who have donated to the 2nd collection along with their donation amounts (if your parish tracks that information) or the empty opened envelopes.
Sample Announcements for Weekly Bulletin/Social Media
April 15 & 16: Catholic Charities Collection is Next Week - We are fortunate to be able to partner with Catholic Charities for a second collection on April 22 & 23rd to benefit their work in supporting families in need. With the inflation rate still so high, many of our neighbors are still struggling to put food on the table, or are having to decide between medication, food or utilities. Text CCSupport to 41444 or www.ccrcda.org for more information.
April 22 & 23: Catholic Charities Collection Weekend – Today we are joining parishes throughout the Diocese to support the work of Catholic Charities. With your help we can feed families in need, prevent eviction, support homebound seniors, counsel those in crisis, aid people with disabilities and provide safety to abuse survivors. All donations will stay within the Diocese to help neighbors close to home. For more information, (or to make an online donation) visit: www.ccrcda.org or text CCSUPPORT to 41444
April 29 & 30: Catholic Charities Collection - Your generous response to last weekend’s collection really made a difference! If you would like to make a gift and haven’t had the chance, please visit: www.ccrcda.org or send your donation to: Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, 40 North Main Ave Albany NY 12203.
Sample Pulpit Announcements
Please consider using these announcements
April 15 & 16: Catholic Charities Collection Next Week – Our Diocesan community will support the vital work of Catholic Charities next weekend. All proceeds will remain in the Diocese of Albany to support our neighbors in need. Please consider a generous gift to this appeal.
April 22 & 23: Catholic Charities Collection This Week – Today we have the opportunity to support our work through Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany The funds stay in our Diocese to assist our neighbors. Thank you for your generosity,
Sample Prayers of the Faithful
Please consider using these prayers of the faithful the weekends of April 15 & 16 and April 22 & 23
For the poor and vulnerable in our midst,
may we always be open to hearing God’s call to help those most in need . . .
LET US PRAY TO THE LORD
For the homeless, the forgotten, the hungry, and those struggling to meet basic needs –
may we always extend our love and friendship to help when called upon . . .
LET US PRAY TO THE LORD
For the men, women, and families served by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany –
may they know the love and support of all of us throughout the diocese as they face life’s difficulties . . .
LET US PRAY TO THE LORD
For the staff and volunteers of Catholic Charities –
may they carry with them our prayers and support as they reach out to our sisters and brothers in need, as the social service arm of the Catholic Church in the Albany Diocese . . .
LET US PRAY TO THE LORD
Talking Points for Announcements and/or Homily
Catholic Charities is the social service arm of the Catholic Community in our area. They work within our parishes and communities to provide a wide array of services, including drive-thru and walk-in food pantries, domestic violence support, housing, assistance for new and expecting mothers, job placement and so many other services that allow our neighbors to lead fulfilled lives with hope and dignity.
Why Give?
As Catholics, we are called to lend a hand to our sisters and brothers who are in need, with a special preference to our neighbors who are vulnerable or living in poverty.
Donations to Catholic Charities are used for just that: to support programs and services that enrich the lives of neighbors in need and provide a hand up to the people we serve.
As St. Ambrose said, "You are not making a gift of what is yours to the poor man, but you are giving him back what is his. You have been appropriating things that are meant to be for the common use of everyone. The earth belongs to everyone, not to the rich."
Giving Makes a Real Difference
Thanks to donations from your parish, Catholic Charities helps real people as they work through real problems.
Neighbors like Kelly, a single mom who came to Catholic Charities for help with food for her family after her SNAP benefits were reduced and her hours at work were cut. With the increased cost of groceries, there was no way for her to make ends meet. You ensured that she received food from our pantry so she could stretch her budget without going hungry.
Follow Up Process and Contact Information
Please share with those responsible for collections
Thank you for participating in Catholic Charities Second Collection. In order to fully steward the donors who, give gifts to this important initiative, we would be grateful if:
Your parish tracks donor information digitally, please provide a print out (or spreadsheet) of the donor names, addresses, and amounts that they gave for this collection. Donor information will be found on the specialty envelopes that were included in the monthly mailer packets from your envelope company.
Your parish does not track donor information via computer, please provide the empty, opened envelopes– if possible, with donation amounts written on them.
Parishes are asked to provide one check to Catholic Charities for the amount raised through the second collection, similar to specialty disaster or CRS collections.
Please address that check to:
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany
CC Second Collection 23
40 North Main Ave
Albany, NY 12203
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact:
Laurie Beach, Annual Fund Manager
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany
40 North Main Ave, Albany, NY 12203
Laurie.beach@ccrcda.org | 518-641-6831