Catholic Relief Services

Catholic Relief Services works to support the poor and vulnerable around the world as part of the bishops’ commitment to fighting global poverty. The agency has regional offices in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The programs are tailored to local needs in a given region, but include the areas of agriculture, education, emergency response, water security, and more.

The organization puts into practice the Catholic teaching on solidarity at the global level. The programs serve people of all faiths; the mission is carried out not because THEY are Catholic, but because WE are Catholic.

How to Get Involved

Join a Chapter or Club

CRS chapters (for adults) and clubs (for high school students) are ways for individuals to join forces with others to work toward solutions to global issues. Resources will be provided to help your group take action, with tools for fundraising and advocacy.

If there isn’t an existing group at your parish or school, you can help to start one!

Support the Campaign against Hunger

Did you know 49 million people in 46 countries face extreme, life-threatening hunger and malnutrition? Join the campaign to urge Congress to increase funding in the fiscal year 2024 budget for international programs that reduce poverty, keep communities safe and help families survive and thrive. 

(Photo: Tamara and her young daughter fled conflict in Ukraine and waited in line for hours to cross the Moldovan border seeking safety. Photo courtesy of Marijn Fidder/Caritas International.)

Support the Campaign against Climate Change

Pope Francis reminds us in his encyclical Laudato Si’ that environmental crises often disproportionately impact the poor. He writes, “Today, however, we have to realize that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” (Laudato Si’ 49)

Join the CRS Climate Change campaign to help take action on behalf of the most vulnerable.

Participate in Lenten Rice Bowls

Each year during Lent, we have the opportunity to pray, fast, and give with CRS Rice Bowl. The 2023 stories and reflections focus on the three countries of Honduras, Kenya, and the Philippines.

Check with your parish or school to see if they have Rice Bowls available. If not, contact us.

(Photo: Emilson Figueroa at a soccer field in his community near Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Emilson’s dream is to play on a professional soccer team. Photo by Oscar Leiva/Silverlight for Catholic Relief Services.)

(Banner Photo: Rebecca Etelej poses for a portrait on her farm in Turkana, Kenya. Photo by Patrick Meinhardt/GGImages for Catholic Relief Services.)