WORCESTER- Bishop Robert J. McManus this week presented $20,150 in grants to 35 area programs through support given to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

The awards were presented Monday at the Italian Cultural Center and Mount Carmel Recreation Center, Mulberry Street. Money for the campaign was collected in parishes last November.

Bishop McManus presented a national award to Mairead Coleman, a student at St. Peter-Marian High School, who won second prize in the National Youth Arts Contest. The contest is held by the national office of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development for students to discuss ways in which society can learn about poverty and respond to its devastating effects.

The collection in the Worcester Diocese raised about $80,000 last year, including money raised by Catholic school students as part of their own campaign to learn about ways to end poverty. Three-quarters of the collection was sent to the national campaign office to support larger programs throughout the world. This year the campaign, which is the humanitarian arm of the U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference, is helping more than 300 projects in dioceses around the country.

Many of the area recipients received grants for programs in education and advocacy to follow the campaign mission to "break the cycle of poverty." Other grants support food pantries and emergency housing services.

Locally, the grants often serve as "seed" money to get programs started or to assist them in developing ongoing programs. Although some funds are used for emergency services, such as food pantries, home heating fuel and medical supplies, these programs assist families and individuals in re-establishing financial independence and dignity by helping to avoid homelessness or debilitating illness. Other programs assist in the delivery or coordination of services, again with the goal of maximizing efforts at reducing the causes of poverty in Worcester County.

The diocesan review committee members are Dorothy Driscoll, Leominster; Patricia Halpin, West Boylston; Monsignor Francis J. Scollen, Worcester; Edelmira Spence, Southbridge; and Monsignor Edmond T. Tinsley, Leicester, who is diocesan director for the campaign.

The next diocesan appeal will be at Masses on the weekend of Nov.21. For more information about this appeal, visit www.usccb.org/ chd.

The recipients are:

Prayer Cards for Vocations, St. Leo Parish, Leominster, $400.

Abstinence Education, St. Leo Parish, Leominster, $400.

Personal Care for Children in Need, St. Stephen Parish, Worcester, $400.

Volunteer "Trust Building" Corps, Our Lady of Immaculate Parish, Athol, $400.

Adult Day Health Program, St. Francis Home, Worcester, $400.

Outreach Prayer Ministry, Community of Teresian Carmelites, Worcester, $400.

Christian Leadership for Youth, Holy Name Central Catholic H.S., $400.

Special Needs Program, Ascension Parish, Worcester, $400.

Food for Self-Sufficiency, Catholic Charities, Fitchburg, $500.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Holy Name of Jesus, Worcester, $500.

Fuel and Food Fund, Sisters of Mercy, Worcester, $500.

Food Pantry, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, Worcester, $500.

English-as-a-second-language Program, St. Peter Parish, Worcester, $500.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, St. Leo parish, Leominster, $500.

Youth Group programs, St. Joseph Parish, Fitchburg, $500.

Financial Need Assistance, St. Vincent de Paul Society, $500.

Elder Outreach, St. Paul Cathedral, Worcester, $500.

Food Pantry, Mary, Queen of the Rosary Parish, Spencer, $500.

Outreach Food Pantry, St. Paul Cathedral, Worcester, $500.

Visitation House for mothers/ hildren in need of housing, St. Paul Cathedral, Worcester, $500

Basic Human Needs and Food, Catholic Charities, Whitinsville, $500.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Fund, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Winchendon, $500.

Transitional assistance, Dismas House, Worcester, $500.

Senior "Wheels" Program medical transportation, St. Joseph Parish, North Brookfield, $500.

St. Vincent de Paul Emergency Assistance, St. James Parish, South Grafton, $500.

English-as-a-second-language Program, St. Luke Parish, Westboro, $500.

Immigration Assistance Program, Catholic Charities, $700.

Material Assistance for Needy, Catholic Charities, $750.

Interfaith Hospitality Network, St. Anne Shrine, Sturbridge, $750.

Montachusett Interfaith Hospitality Program, St. Bernard Parish, Fitchburg, $750.

Emergency Shelter and Homeless Ministry, St. Anne Parish, Shrewsbury, $1,000.

TV Magazine to Hispanic Communities, Diocesan TV Ministry, $1,000.

Youth Mentoring Program, St. Peter Parish, Worcester, $1,000.

Marie Anne Center Computer Lab, St. Bernard Parish, Worcester, $1,000.

Hope for Families, Holy Spirit and Sacred Heart Parishes, Gardner, $1,000.