Catholic Charities launches program to help parish families get their stimulus checks. 
As you know, many individuals and families (with Social Security Numbers) are receiving sizable cash payments from the IRS. The IRS cash payments are part of the Government’s $2 Trillion economic stimulus legislation.  Sadly, there are many individuals and families within your parish boundaries who will not be receiving these cash payments. Why? The reason is that the IRS has no way of knowing that individuals and families with low/no income exist. Individuals with income less than $12,200/year ($24,400 for married couples) do not need to file an income tax return. Thus, the IRS does not have a mailing address or a bank account to send these cash payments.
 
As you will see in a Catholic Standard story (see link below), Catholic Charities has just launched a new outreach program to help low/no income individuals and families collect $1,200/adult plus $500/child from the IRS.
 
We need the help of your parishioners to spread this good news! The attached flyer can be handed out: in food pantries and grocery stores, to family/neighbors/friends and to other community service organizations.
 
Could you please distribute the flyers via email and/or your electronic church bulletin?
 
Should you have any questions, please call:
Deacon Jim Shanahan
Director, Financial Stability Network
Senior Manager, Parish Outreach Program
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington
Jim.shanahan@cc-dc.org
Phone: (202) 262-1419
 
https://cathstan.org/news/local/catholic-charities-program-seeking-to-help-poor-receive-federal-stimulus-checks

Parishes give food donations to the Silver Spring Catholic Charities food pantry. 
Parishes collecting food during April are invited to contact Teresa.Villanueva@CC-DC.org if your parish has extra food items and would like to make a donation to the Catholic Charities food pantry in Silver Spring.  The pantry serves more than 100 families a week. Special thanks to: St. Peters, St. Andrew Apostle, St. Patrick, St. Michael, Our Lady of Vietnam, St. Catherine, and St. John the Evangelist, St. Jane the Chantal for food donations during Lent.
 
Parish Health Ministry Zoom Webinar:   Saturday, April 25^th,  9:00 am to 10:45am
 
Does your parish have a health ministry? Are you seeking ways to better serve your vulnerable populations?  Lay leaders are invited to attend by zoom to:

• Learn how having a health ministry enhances your church's ability to respond to the needs of your parishioners in general and especially now during the current COVID-19 crisis.
• Learn how other parish health ministries identify and respond to the health needs of parishioners.
• Learn how the Holy Cross Health Faith Community Nurse Program and the Matthew 25 grant can empower your parish to build or expand a thriving health ministry.
• For more information and to RSVP:  Laura.Yeomans@CC-DC.org, (202) 315-9440.

 
Catholic Charities helps families suffering abuse.
Parish Partners is providing emergency assistance to families suffering domestic abuse, helping to pay emergency rent or utility bills and connecting them to domestic violence agencies that do safety planning and counseling.  See this recent Catholic Standard article: https://cathstan.org/news/local/as-stay-at-home-orders-may-increase-domestic-abuse-catholic-charities-provides-resources-for-aid
 
Maryland and DC SNAP benefits increasing for vulnerable families.
Both DC and Maryland have received approved from the US Dept of Agriculture to provide additional funds to families through SNAP benefits. As a result, Maryland will receive more than $33 million per month in additional SNAP benefits for the months of April and May.  34,000 DC vulnerable household will receive more than $10 million.  Increases will be seen for families not already receiving the maximum amount allowed for their family size.