By Marie Mulvenna

A local increase of almost $3,000 was reported for the annual Campaign for Human Development (CHD) drive held throughout the nation just prior to Thanksgiving. Fr. Jacob A. Bollmer, archdiocesan director of the CHD program, said he was extremely pleased with the "excellent response of generosity by our people to the needs of others." The 1974 drive in Atlanta netted $29,091.85, compared to the 1973 tally of $26,361.39. One-fourth of the locally collected amount, $7,272.96, is retained in the archdiocese for funding of local proposals.

Fr. Bollmer, who is also executive director of the Department of Catholic Social Services for the archdiocese, said he felt the rise in the collection, in spite of the current economic "pinch" was "an excellent example of a Church active within itself, in order that it might be concerned beyond itself for the poor, regardless of who they may be."

"In this trying time of inflation, recession and unemployment, as well as other financial difficulties, the sacrifice and generosity of the Catholics of Atlanta is most deserving of high praise," Father said. He noted that the annual CHD collection is the largest "outside" collection taken up in the archdiocese and said it has annually risen in totals between $2,000 and $3,000.

Fr. Bollmer said he viewed the 1974 increase as "a token of the real Catholicity of our people. The real meaning of Catholic charity has reached them and they responded so beautifully." Father said he wished to thank all the staff who worked on the local drive, especially Sister Frances Ann Cook, RSM, who developed local publicity for the CHD campaign. He said he was grateful to the many people "behind the scenes" such as the allocation staff of Catholic Social Services who spend many hours in the field for first-hand evaluation of each proposal received for funding.

Proposals for funding are studied in depth and evaluated with local allocations, then determined by a committee of the Board of Directors of Catholic Social Services. Local proposals for funding are now being studied by staff members and will be awarded in March. Father Bollmer said proposals are submitted based on the needs of the people and are most diversified and not restricted to only Catholic groups. "They are not large amounts, but they do help such worthwhile groups get off the ground." He said such "seed money" allocations are sometimes matched with federal, state or foundation funds.

Groups seeking national CHD funding are also processed through Fr. Bollmer's department and forwarded to the national office for consideration.

Last year's local amount of CHD money funded several projects, including a scholarship fund for needy children, enabling needy youngsters to attend a day-camp project. A summer day-camp program in the Dahlonega area was also aided, as was a denture and eye care project for the needy in Lumpkin, White, Union, and Towns counties.

Other recipients of local funding were the archdiocesan Project Rehab and another program from Rabun County to assist with home repairs for the indigent elderly.