Program Highlights

Mission Relationships & Witness
People of faith the world over have the strength and knowledge to take the leadership role in addressing their own challenges. So one of the best ways to help is to talk... to listen... to learn... and to share resources appropriate to people’s needs. Building partner relationships with regional and national ecumenical bodies around the world, as well as with our member communions in the U.S., has been a hallmark of CWS throughout our history. We work to strengthen common witness among Christians and nurture interfaith dialogue and cooperation. In partnership, we are engaging councils of churches across the U.S. and worldwide to bring new commitment and vitality to ecumenical mission in the 21st century.

Social and Economic Development
Central to the CWS mission of alleviating hunger and poverty on a global scale is the promotion of local participatory and sustainable development initiatives. We work with grassroots and faith-based organizations to identify, design, implement, and evaluate joint programs, ensuring that the seeds for successful long-term growth take root. By acting as a catalyst we advance sustainable development in communities in their quest to become self-reliant and free from dependence on external aid. We serve as a vehicle to share best practices and institutional knowledge among local partners; to provide access to global financial, academic, and other resources; to develop local capacity; and ultimately, to help communities move from poverty to prosperity.

Emergency Response
CWS helps vulnerable people and communities in the aftermath of natural and human caused disaster to achieve long-term physical, psychological, and spiritual recovery and develop preparedness strategies. To do this CWS enables its member communions to join together through its activities and the work of CWS partners in disaster preparedness, mitigation, and response. When disaster strikes, whether in the U.S. or around the world, CWS encourages the faith community to join together so that the most vulnerable families and individuals receive the assistance they need.

Education and Advocacy
CWS’s connection to partners in some 80 countries informs and inspires our work in education and advocacy. Confronting the root causes of hunger is an essential complement to our overseas work. By raising awareness about poverty, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, human rights, and peacebuilding in our Speak Out alerts, CWS brings the voices of our partners into the halls of churches, community groups, and our government. We encourage people to help change the world by communicating with governmental representatives, the United Nations, and key international institutions, and urging policies responsive to the needs of impoverished people around the world.

Immigration and Refugee Program
Nearly 33 million people around the world are uprooted from their homes and communities by persecution and armed conflict. CWS helps resettle refugees in the U.S., and helps meet the needs of people in protracted refugee situations and refugees returning home. It also serves tens of thousands of refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers in the U.S. and around the world each year with screening for potential resettlement to the U.S., chaplaincy, legal, and other professional services.

What You Can Do

You can make a difference by giving a direct donation -- an immediate cash gift or a deferred gift, such as a charitable gift annuity or a bequest.

You can rally your congregation or group to participate in a community-wide CROP Hunger Walk or a Tools & Blankets event.

You can also contact your congressional representative or senators concerning an issue you care about. Or simply tell someone about what we do. We trust that others will want to help once they hear our story.