For Immediate Release October 22, 2013

Contact: Patricia Cole pcole@catholiccharitiesusa.org 703-236-6218

Socially Innovative Programs Receive Awards from Catholic Charities USA Catholic Charities Agencies in New Orleans, Northwest Florida Recognized for Bold Approaches New Orleans, La. Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) presented CCUSA Social Innovation Awards to the Spirit of Hope program, run by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and Catholic Charities Northwest Floridas Circles Northwest Florida program during the Partners in Excellence Regional Gathering event taking place this week in New Orleans, Louisiana. The award recognizes socially-innovative programs being run by Catholic Charities agencies in communities across the country, and includes $5,000 to be reinvested into the program. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Spirit of Hope program was launched in June of 2010 after the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill disaster, establishing a new precedent for disaster response. The program was designed within a holistic model and focused on strengthening community participation, promoting inter-agency collaboration, and integrating services with a client-centered approach. It also placed a strong emphasis on empowering local communities, and was designed to transfer ownership and authority to the clients by way of consumer councils. Circles Northwest Florida is a collaborative community initiative, led by Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida, which empowers people from every economic class to solve poverty in Northwest Florida through individual transformation and community change. The program matches highly motivated people living in poverty with volunteers who provide emotional support and assist with life issues. This strategy has resulted in improved job retention, increased education, savings and assets, and strengthened social capital for families while improving the communitys knowledge and commitment to tackle poverty. Two CCUSA Social Innovation Awards will be presented at each of the 10 regional gatherings taking place across the country in 2013 and 2014. Award nominations were judged jointly by members of the Catholic Charities network and the Gigot Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Notre Dames Mendoza College of Business, based on a set of predetermined criteria. The next set of CCUSA Social Innovation Awards will be presented during the Partners in Excellence event in Coeur dAlene, Idaho on November 4-5, 2013.

About Catholic Charities USA

Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is the national office for Catholic Charities agencies nationwide. Catholic Charities USAs members provide help and create hope for more than 10 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. To learn more about CCUSA, please visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org