CRS

Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to serve World War II survivors in Europe. Since then, they have expanded in size to reach more than 80 million people in more than 100 countries on five continents. Their mission is to assist impoverished and disadvantaged people overseas, working in the spirit of Catholic Social Teaching to promote the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person. Although their mission is rooted in the Catholic faith, their operations serve people based solely on need, regardless of their race, religion or ethnicity. Within the United States, CRS engages Catholics to live their faith in solidarity with the poor and suffering of the world. CRS maintains strict standards of efficiency, accountability and transparency. Last year, more than 94 percent of revenues we spent went directly to programs that benefit the poor overseas.