ARTICLES

Eastern Shore residents get help from CCHD

By Lauren Cunningham
Special to The Catholic Virginian

Stretching along 70 miles of beautiful coastal land lies Virginia’s Eastern Shore, situated between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Showcasing many of the state’s most breathtaking natural conservatories and unique recreational opportunities, the Eastern Shore is a popular vacation area for beach goers, hikers, fishers and nature lovers.

Though many of us have traveled in this picturesque region, few are aware that a turn off the beaten path reveals another venue — communities suffering from extreme poverty, where families live without indoor plumbing, electricity or a share in the region’s bountiful resources.

The sight of people inhabiting small dilapidated houses, with leaking tin roofs, outhouses and severely limited opportunities may cause confusion among vacationers.

However, the shifting economic circumstances of Virginia’s Eastern Shore within the past several decades offer explanations for the harrowing circumstances.

Examples of these underprivileged communities can be found in lower Northampton County. The decline of local industries such as homestead farming and vegetable processing has dealt tremendous blows to the working families of this region.

The extinction of the region’s industries has contributed to the deterioration and abandonment of local housing, high unemployment and poverty.

This is one of our Commonwealth’s neediest areas, with 20.1 percent of its residents living in a state of poverty, and a higher level of unemployment than the statewide average.

When faced with the awareness of our brothers and sisters living in poverty, many experience a sense of hopelessness in questioning how the situation can be changed.

However, often the changes needed for a community originate not from the outside, but from within.

The human spirit, by virtue of its likeness to the Creator, always strives to soar. And usually those who best attest to this striving are people living in conditions which demand the most struggles.

The principle of Catholic social teaching known as subsidiarity holds that the most effective change comes from the local community, whose members know best the circumstances of their neighborhoods and the changes that would make them better.

Thus, the Church places great importance on small and intermediate-sized communities, such as families, the church, and community organizations, as mediators which empower individuals and connect men and women to society.

It is by the principle of subsidiarity that the U.S. Bishops established the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) in 1970 to serve as an agent to combat domestic poverty.

For 38 years, the monies collected annually by a national collection have been distributed by CCHD as grants to community organizations working to end the cycle of poverty.

Within lower Northampton County is a group currently funded by CCHD — District One Community Action Group (District One). District One is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the people of their community through the development of affordable housing and skilled jobs.

This past June Colleen Barranger, Diocesan CCHD Director, visited District One leaders to award the group’s Local CCHD grant and to further discuss the goals of the organization.

As a Catholic program, CCHD extends the relationship it has with funded groups by offering assistance and support in addition to monetary aid. In developing and maintaining relationships CCHD meets the group members in their communities and promotes the vision which the individuals envision through systemic change.

The members of District One Community Action Group realize that there is no vacation from poverty.

In working toward change and inspiring other community members to strive for dignity and worth, these men and women are enabling their spirits to soar in the hopes of a better tomorrow.

When parishioners throughout the Diocese contribute to the CCHD collection in November, they exhibit solidarity with the people of the Eastern Shore and many other grass roots funded groups who struggle to build a better life for themselves and their children.

If you are interested in more information on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development or District One, contact Colleen Barranger at 804–622–5128 or cbarranger@richmonddiocese.org.

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