Who We ARE

The Chicago Catholic Campaign for Human Development is the local affiliate of the USCCB’s domestic anti-poverty, social justice program.

Our mission is to address and combat the root causes of poverty in America and we are committed to breaking the cycles of economic, moral and spiritual poverty.

Founded in 1969 in Chicago by Bishop Mike Dempsey, the CCHD's original pastoral strategy was the empowerment of the poor through a methodology of participation and education for justice, impelled by the Church's biblical tradition, Catholic social teaching, and pervasive poverty in the United States.

We have fought for affordable housing, empowering seniors, defending human life and dignity, immigrant justice, safe neighborhoods, supporting the differently-abled, promoting traditional marriage and family and fighting for worker’s rights.

Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical letter Caritas in Veritate - Charity in Truth, inspires the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Catholic Campaign for Human Development; we are expanding our focus to fully combine the social justice efforts and the respect for life and human dignity work that defines us as Catholics.

Please contact Rey Flores at 312-534-3690 or rflores@archchicago.org for more information.