Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States, initially as War Relief Services to assist refugees and survivors of the Second World War, it has since operated for more than 80 years and now runs programmes in more than 100 countries. It delivers lifesaving emergency assistance and long-term development support to people in need without regard to race, religion, or nationality.
Its work spans a set of operational domains that depend heavily on data, logistics and field systems: humanitarian emergency relief and response to major emergencies; public health and community health programmes; agriculture and food security; education; microfinance and financial inclusion; peacebuilding; refugee and migration assistance; and long-term development. The organisation works alongside local communities to create lasting change, combining expertise with direct service to vulnerable populations.
Geographically, the agency is headquartered in the United States and maintains a global presence across more than 100 countries. Its stated commitments centre on the sacredness and dignity of all human life and on the Gospel of Jesus Christ as its motivating principle. There is no published funding information available.
