Today, two Catholic Charities client representatives brought their perspectives to Capitol Hill to inform legislators weighing potential reforms to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The closed-door meeting was attended by members of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees, and is the first in planned series of meetings to inform leaders of both committees as they consider TANF reform.
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington was represented by a client from their Family Re-housing Stabilization program, and Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Baltimore was represented by a client from Sarah’s House, an emergency and transitional shelter. Both clients shared their personal stories, drawing on their experiences and challenges to suggest program improvements that would assist those transitioning off of TANF. They spoke passionately about the support, empowerment, and accountability they felt through the Catholic Charities programs that helped them move forward.
Catholic Charities USA is committed to bringing the voices of the clients and staff of our agencies to the fore in national legislative advocacy. The Social Policy team continues to look for opportunities to engage local agencies and clients in policy discussions.