FROM HOPE TO HARVEST - Catholic Relief Services · Key trends: Economic pressures ... The world has made unprecedented progress in reducing poverty over the past three decades

FROM HOPE TO HARVEST

AGENCY STRATEGY 2014-2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION I: OUR FOUNDATION

Letter from Dr. Carolyn Y. Woo, President & CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Introduction: A Force for Lasting and Positive Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Our Mission and Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

SECTION II: OUR ASPIRATIONS

Our Theory of Change and Intended Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Environmental Scan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Our Aspirations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

SECTION III: OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

Signature Program Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Core Competencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Engaging the Global Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

A High-Performance Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Resource Mobilization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

SECTION IV: OUR COMMITMENT

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

EX1436©2014 Catholic Relief Services. All Rights Reserved. | 1

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LETTER FROM dR. CAROLYN Y. WOO PRESIDENT & CEO

Catholic Relief Services exists to bring God’s love to poor and vulnerable people

around the world. This would not be possible without faith, our anchor and guide

in this rapidly changing environment. Faith inevitably points to hope, allowing us to

envision and bring about a better world. Faith also demands our fullest commitment to

our mission—the effort that turns hope into harvest.

The purpose of this strategy is to provide the blueprint for moving forward in a time of

challenge and transition. It calls us to strive for excellence in order to reap the harvest of

lasting and positive change.

At CRS, we have been given so much. Our institutional donors, individual benefactors

and partners have invested their resources and trust in our mission. We have deep

relationships with sister institutions of the Catholic Church in the United States and around

the world. Our 5,000 colleagues make us proud of the way they give of their total selves.

Yet our faith calls us to continue to invest all of these gifts in ways that will generate the

greatest results: to reach new levels of excellence that have lasting impact on the lives of

those God has entrusted to our care.

May blessings overflow,

Dr. Carolyn Y. Woo

President & CEO

“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” —Matthew 25:40

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INTRODUCTION:

A FORCE FOR LASTING AND POSITIVE CHANGE

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops founded Catholic Relief Services in 1943 to express the Gospel call to love poor and vulnerable people through acts of charity and the pursuit of justice. Since then, CRS has evolved into an international humanitarian organization of more than 5,000 people, working in 91 countries and serving more than 100 million people annually.

CRS programs serve based on need, reaching poor and vulnerable women, men, girls and boys overseas without regard to race, sex, nationality or religion.

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This agency strategic plan was developed during the 2012 calendar

year and included extensive consultation, reflection and analysis

that involved CRS staff around the world, our board of directors,

public and private donors, technical specialists and partners.

Through a process of debate and analysis, we believe we have

identified those areas of strategic focus that will best position us

for future success in advancing our mission.

At a time of rapid change around the world, CRS continues to

build on a strong foundation of Catholic teachings and values

while leveraging deep experience, a breadth of relationships

across the globe and a deeply committed staff. CRS seeks to

significantly improve the lives of poor and vulnerable people

around the world by increasing our impact and influence

through a set of new strategic priorities that both challenge

and inspire us. We do this in close collaboration with sister

institutions of the global Catholic Church, the Catholic

community in the United States, a vast and diverse range of

partners and donors, and, most important, the families and

communities we serve around the world.

“Every economic and political theory or action must set about providing each inhabitant of the planet with the minimum wherewithal to live in dignity and freedom, with the possibility of supporting a family, educating children, praising God and developing one’s own human potential.” —Pope Francis

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OUR MiSSiON AND GUIDING PRiNCiPLES

MISSION Our mission is fundamental to what we do and how we work. In carrying out the

commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist poor and vulnerable

people overseas, we act to:

• Promote human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting

poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies

• Inspire and engage Catholics in the United States as they live their faith in solidarity

with their brothers and sisters around the world

• Work with local, national and international Catholic institutions and structures, as

well as other organizations, to assist people on the basis of need, not race, sex,

nationality or religion

GUIDING PRINCIPLESOur Guiding Principles draw upon a rich tradition of Catholic moral and social teaching,

and articulate values that are common across many religious and cultural traditions.

Acting as a guide to what a just world might look like, these principles express values

that are shared among people who seek to promote and work toward true justice and

lasting peace.

Our guiding principles are:

• Sacredness and Dignity of the Human Person

• Rights and Responsibilities

• Social Nature of Humanity

• The Common Good

• Subsidiarity

• Solidarity

• Option for the Poor

• Stewardship

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OUR THEORY OF CHANGE AND iNTENdEd iMPACTSince the early 2000s, CRS has applied a theory of change grounded in the concept

of integral human development (IHD), which promotes the good of the whole person

and every person. IHD supports the ability of each individual to realize their full human

potential in the context of just and peaceful relationships, a thriving environment and

solidarity with others. This goal for individuals and society is a long-term, dynamic

process, whereby actors work collaboratively from across civil society and the public

and private sectors, operating at different levels—individual, family, community, regional,

national and international—to:

• Protect human life and dignity by caring for poor and vulnerable people

• Increase resilience by protecting, building and maximizing family and community

human, social, political, physical, financial, natural and spiritual assets

• Promote right relationships between all people, and within and across families,

communities and nations

• Increase equitable and inclusive access to and influence on structures and

systems at all levels

WHAT IS “INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT”?

IHD is a holistic approach to development that promotes the good of the whole person and every person. The intended impact of IHD is for people to reach their full potential in an atmosphere of peace, social justice and human dignity.

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ASSETS

We help people assess what

resources they have access to,

such as homes, crops, money,

health, faith or education.

OUTCOMES & FEEDBACK

We monitor the

results and help find

ways to address

people’s needs,

reinforcing their

capacities and ability

to influence.

STRATEGIES

We seek to understand

people’s strategies for

improving their lives and

preparing for the future.

SYSTEMS & STRUCTURES

We assist people as they map how

societies are organized in systems

and structures.

INFLUENCE & ACCESS

We help people

identify who has

power to influence

systems and

structures.

RISK & VULNERABILITY

We help people identify threats to

their lives and livelihoods so they

can build their resilience.

INTEGRALHUMAN

DEVELOPMENT

KEY ELEMENTS OF THE IHD FRAMEWORK

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HOW WE ACHIEVE OUR INTENDED IMPACT

CRS contributes our unique expertise and

relationships to the realization of integral human

development through the following actions

across the agency to:

• Build capacity of our partners and ourselves

to increase opportunities for people to live to

their full human potential by supporting families

and communities to move from vulnerability

to resilience through equitable and inclusive

livelihood strategies

• Prove and take to scale evidence-based approaches that respond to local needs and foster

local leadership

• Cultivate strong relationships for effective

collaboration, mutual learning, joint leadership and

local innovation across the global network of Catholic

organizations and individuals who share our vision

of IHD

• Build connections across the public and private sectors and civil society to create lasting, positive

solutions to poverty and injustice

• Influence policies and practices that promote IHD

Key trends: Economic pressures on government and other funding sources; increase in direct funding to local organizations; demands for greater accountability and scalable solutions

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ENVIRONMENTAL SCANCRS engaged in a comprehensive review of the major trends facing poor and vulnerable people

outside the United States, key changes in the international relief and development environment,

and opportunities for us to advance our mission in light of these trends and changes.

The world has made unprecedented progress in reducing poverty over the past three decades.

In 1990, more than 1.8 billion people lived in extreme poverty. By 2010, that number was estimated

to have dropped to 1.2 billion. Although there is much to celebrate and learn from this success,

more than 1 billion people continue to experience daily deprivations of extreme poverty that

impede their development and potential. At a more macro level, these include the growing

numbers of the poor living in countries that are middle income, fragile or in conflict; the more than

850 million chronically food insecure people who go to bed hungry every night; and the high

price the poor are paying for climate change as land degradation and droughts lead to increased

potential for ethnic and political tensions and conflict over scarce natural resources..

At the same time, the environment in which we work is also changing—including the policies

and resources that affect poor and vulnerable people, and the ability of organizations such as

CRS to work effectively. Current trends include continuing fiscal and economic pressures on U.S.

government and other important foreign aid; an increase in direct funding to local governments and

civil society organizations; and emerging new players and new donor models. Donors in general are

demanding better accountability and scalable solutions.

With our understanding of the environment, the social mission of the Catholic Church and CRS’

unique organizational attributes, we will benefit from key opportunities to advance our mission in

the coming years. Our faith-inspired mission and values appeal to diverse donors and individuals,

and our broad and deep network of local partners—especially in the Caritas Internationalis

family—provides a platform for scale, impact and influence. Our depth of experience and technical

expertise foster innovation and learning.

The challenges of global poverty and injustice are complex and multidimensional, but there are

proven ways to address them. In the end, the faces of poverty are as profound and complex

as the hopes and aspirations of human beings. But we also know from experience that the

human spirit is remarkably resilient, and poor people and countries, in partnership with people of

goodwill around the globe, can alleviate poverty and help people to flourish.

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OUR ASPiRATiONS

Over the next 5 years, we will increase our impact and outreach to those

in need and aspire to:

• Empower 150 million poor and vulnerable people overseas through

continuously improving programs that respond to emergencies,

strengthen the health, well-being and livelihoods of families and

communities, and nurture peaceful and just societies

• Inspire and engage more than 10 million Catholics in the United States to

take action in solidarity with poor and vulnerable people overseas as an

integral part of their faith

5 years 150 million people around the world

10 million Catholics in the U.S.

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THE ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR ASPIRATIONS WILL BE DRIVEN BY THE FOLLOWING FOUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES:

• Attain leadership in signature program areas for greater impact and influence

• Deepen expertise in 5 targeted core competencies across CRS

• Strengthen engagement in the United States and overseas with sister Catholic Church organizations and individuals to promote integral human development

• Reinforce an organizational culture of high performance and accountability

We will align our approach to resource mobilization to reinforce our ability to succeed with the four strategic priorities above.

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BY 2018, CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES ASPIRES TO SERVE 150 MILLION POOR AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE WORLDWIDE WHILE INSPIRING 10 MILLION CATHOLICS IN THE UNITED STATES TO PUT THEIR FAITH INTO ACTION. TO DO THIS, WE WILL:

ACHIEVE LEADERSHIP IN

3SIGNATURE PROGRAMAREAS:

DEEPEN EXPERTISE IN

5 CORE COMPETENCIES:

Partner Collaboration & Support

Justice and Peacebuilding Integration

Monitoring & Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

Information and Communications Technology for Development

Global Brand Management

AGENCY STRATEGY

STRENGTHEN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GLOBAL CATHOLIC CHURCH TO:• Promote integral human development

and global solidarityDeepen collaborative relationships and build networksInspire and engage Catholics in the United States to confront global poverty

•

•

Maintaining a one agency

perspective of our identity,

mission and workOperational

excellence

Sta� development &

engagementAccountability for outcomes

Emergency Response

& RecoveryAgricultural Livelihoods Health

Resource mobilization: These strategic priorities will be supported by maximizing and optimizing our financial resources to meet agency needs.

REINFORCE A HIGH-PERFORMANCE CULTURE CHARACTERIZED BY:

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SiGNATuRE PROGRAM AREASCRS takes a holistic approach to relief and development, with 9 fields of expertise:

agriculture, education, emergencies, health, HIV and AIDS, microfinance, peacebuilding,

water and social safety nets. We strive for excellence in all that we do, ensuring the

programs we support in these fields of expertise are community based, participatory,

equitable and results driven.

In our new strategy, we will invest to increase our

impact and influence by deepening our expertise and

performing at a world-class level in the following three

signature program areas, or SPAs: emergency response and recovery, agricultural livelihoods and health.

Informed by our theory of change, the SPAs reflect

where CRS can most effectively contribute to integral

human development. Implementation will include:

• Strengthen staff and partner capacity

• Build strategic partnerships and networks

• Innovate and scale up

• Implement high-quality monitoring & evaluation, accountability and learning

• Advocate for just structures and policies

• Work smarter through better systems and processes

• Market and communicate our successes

• Raise more resources

Each SPA comprises a broad range of sectoral interventions. The bullets in the diagram on the

next page represent areas of particular strategic investment within each SPA.

The expected outcome is to reach more poor and vulnerable people with evidence-based

participatory, equitable, efficient and holistic interventions that leverage systemic sectoral and

policy improvements for lasting, positive change.

3 SIGNATURE PROGRAM AREAS:

Emergency Response & Recovery

Agricultural Livelihoods

Health

Peacebuilding

Water

Social Safety Net

Education

Microfinance

HIV and AIDS


Peacebuilding

Water

Social Safety Net

Education

Microfinance

HIV and AIDS

SIGNATURE PROGRAM AREAS AND INVESTMENT PRIORITIES The bullets below represent areas of particular investment within the broader sectors.


CORE COMPETENCiESA core competency is a specific capability that is central to the success of an organization and is

applicable across a broad range of programs. We have identified the following core competencies

for deeper cultivation and investment during this strategy period.

PARTNER COLLABORATION AND SUPPORTIt is only through strong collaborative relationships across civil society and the public and private

sectors that lasting, positive solutions to poverty and injustice can be achieved. CRS has worked

for many years to “connect the dots” across myriad stakeholders—from local Church partners

and governments to small-scale farmers and international businesses—to promote collaborative,

mutually beneficial relationships. We will continue to promote this type of cross-sector engagement in our new strategy, with a particular focus on deepening our expertise in engaging

more effectively with the private sector and universities to benefit the poor and vulnerable.

As a faith-based, private organization, CRS is committed

to supporting local civil society actors, including Catholic Church and community-based

organizations, to strengthen their capacity

to contribute to lasting and meaningful

social change. Local partnerships foster

greater understanding of local needs and

context, and allow for more appropriate,

equitable and sustainable solutions.

Through creation of a new Institute for

Capacity Strengthening within CRS, we

seek to transform how we engage with

local partners by equipping staff with the

necessary knowledge and skills to respond to

specific organizational needs and provide exemplary

technical support. The institute will document CRS and our partners’ co-created, shared,

and applied learning and innovation from capacity strengthening efforts with an eye toward

contributing to the broader development community’s knowledge.

5 CORE COMPETENCIES:

Partner Collaboration & Support

Justice and Peacebuilding Integration

Monitoring & Evaluation, Accountability and Learning

Information & Communications Technology for Development

Global Brand Management


JUSTICE AND PEACEBUILDING INTEGRATIONAt the heart of the social mission of the Catholic Church is a call to

work for justice and peace. Cultivating just and peaceful societies

is part of our mission statement and an essential component of

integral human development.

To strengthen the application of the integral human development

approach, we are committed to intensifying our efforts to integrate

justice and peacebuilding into our work. We seek to address

social equity and inclusion—along the lines of sex, age, ethnicity,

race and religion. We will ensure that staff and partners have the

skills and tools to

• Conduct sound conflict analysis (identification of the key

parties, problems and processes) as the foundation for both

peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity

• Conduct rigorous power analysis to ensure clear

understanding of relationships among women, men, girls

and boys in order to design programs that promote

equitable relationships

• Ensure that our relief and development programs identify

ways for the people we serve to increase equitable

and inclusive access to and influence on systems and structures that affect their lives

MONITORING & EVALUATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEARNINGOur commitment to operational and programmatic

excellence demands continuous improvement in our

ability to document, analyze and apply learning at

the project, sector and agency levels, and to share

that learning with stakeholders, practitioners

and policymakers.

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CRS will invest in an agency-wide monitoring & evaluation, accountability and

learning system for overseas programming to improve our ability to:

• Provide effective feedback mechanisms for program beneficiaries

• Systematically measure results, incorporate and document experiential learning

• Optimize use of technology to improve the accuracy, timeliness and accessibility

of monitoring & evaluation data

• Facilitate decisions based on evidence and learning

• Share our learning with the broader development community and policymakers

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT

Information and Communications Technology for Development, or ICT4D, harnesses the potential of technology to improve both operational and programmatic aspects of our

work. CRS is an emerging leader in this area, having rapidly built our capabilities through

field-driven project needs and ideas, coupled with thought leadership and technical support

sourced internally and from a broad base of partners.

In this next strategy period, we will:

• Play a leadership role in fostering knowledge exchange in the field of relief and

development on the successful use of ICT4D

• Expand CRS’ portfolio of field-tested ICT4D solutions by focusing on projects that increase innovation and technical excellence in our signature program areas, or SPAs

• Build the capacity to support CRS projects and a wide variety of partner institutions in

adapting these solutions—and taking them to scale, when appropriate —for their programs

GLOBAL BRAND MANAGEMENTWe will launch an agency-wide initiative to strengthen our ability to communicate a coherent

and consistent picture of who we are, what we do, how we do it and the results we achieve to

our many stakeholders, including our staff, donors, partners, technical networks and constituents

in the United States and in the 91 countries in which we serve.

In communicating more effectively and engagingly about our work, we hope to:

• Connect Catholics in the United States intellectually, emotionally and spiritually to CRS,

encouraging them to become more deeply involved in our mission

• Engender respect for the values we espouse, the quality of our work, the integrity and

commitment of our staff, and the strength of our relationships

• Position CRS among donor governments and foundations as an agency that delivers results,

especially for our signature program areas


ENGAGING THE GLOBAL CHuRCH

The Catholic Church is one of the most influential forces for positive

and lasting change in the world. The depth and breadth of Catholic

social ministries around the world is beyond comparison.

As the official overseas relief and development agency of the United

States Conference of Catholic Bishops, we engage with other Catholic

institutions both overseas and in the United States. Our Church

relationships are most dynamic and enriching when there is mutual learning, joint action and joint reflection. We will continue our efforts

to strengthen the capacity of the global Catholic Church to have an

influential voice and play a transformative role on behalf of poor and

marginalized people.

IN THE UNITED STATESOur work in the United States both complements and supports our work

overseas. As a part of the Catholic Church, we work with dioceses, parishes,

schools and organizations to offer Catholics concrete ways to live their faith

and “contribute to the progress of the world,” as Pope Benedict XVI urged in

his message on the World Day of Peace in 2007. To inspire more than 10 million

Catholics to act in solidarity with poor and vulnerable people overseas, CRS

will educate and engage Catholics in the United States through a variety of

programs and events that link with our work overseas.

Essential to this work is our support to dioceses and other institutions of

the Church across the country to build ongoing, sustainable structures and

capacities focused on reaching Catholics in the pews. Through programs such as

CRS Rice Bowl, we involve millions of Catholics in the United States in praying, learning, acting and giving to help those we serve overseas. Of particular

emphasis during this strategy period are our efforts to address the unique aspects

of the growing Catholic Hispanic community in the U.S. to engage in our mission

and the creation of university-based core programs to educate students about

global poverty issues and provide them opportunities to get involved in our work.

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OVERSEAS CRS’ fundamental identity as part of the

universal Catholic Church implies that national

Church organizations we work with around the

world are much more than partners. They are our sister agencies in one human

family. Our support for Church partners is

measured not only by improvements in their

organizational sustainability and the quality

of their programs, but also by the nature and

quality of our relationships.

In this area, we will focus on ensuring that

our staff has the knowledge and skills to

build and foster strong relationships with

Church partners to more effectively and

collaboratively strengthen our services to

poor and vulnerable people, and address

the root causes of poverty and injustice.

CRS Rice Bowl is a program that parishes, schools, religious education programs and families in the U.S. use during Lent to learn about hunger and poverty around the world.


A HiGH- PERFORMANCE CULTUREOur aspirations and priorities call for a high-performance organizational culture

characterized by the norms, expectations and ethos of CRS. These include: CRS as one

agency, operational excellence, staff engagement and development, and accountability

for outcomes.

ONE AGENCYCRS has a distinct culture with strong cohesion surrounding, and deep commitment to, our mission and values. Our agency strategy provides the opportunity to build on the

strengths of our traditions while forging new approaches that will bring out the best in our

culture and people to serve our mission and act as one agency. To be greater than the sum of our parts, we will deepen understanding of and create new opportunities to celebrate our

mission and Catholic identity across the agency and to foster more effective collaboration and

communication across divisions and between the field and headquarters.

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCEAchieving operational excellence—in other words, continually improving our efficiency and

effectiveness in a spirit of collaboration, innovation and good stewardship of resources—is

an ongoing and essential part of our work. Aspects of this work include our commitment to

streamlining and standardizing core business processes and ensuring optimal use of agency

systems to facilitate knowledge management and sharing, collaboration across teams and

geographies, high-quality analysis and reporting, aligned operational planning and well-informed

decision making.

STAFF ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENTTo continue to be competitive and effective, our approach to people and organizational culture

must lead to excellence in all aspects of our work. CRS needs individual staff members with the

skills and capacities to meet the constantly evolving demands of our work. To this end, we will

create an integrated and role-based workforce development program tied to performance


5, 000 people

91 countries 1 agency



and career management. We will maximize

technology and other approaches to support

blended and distance learning curricula that can

reach staff across the agency. Equally important

will be our commitment to more creative internal communications to facilitate our staff’s ability to

understand the agency’s strategic priorities and how

they can contribute to their successful implementation.

ACCOUNTABILITYTo strengthen our accountability for results to our

stakeholders and each other, we will strengthen our

performance management system to facilitate alignment of divisional, team, and individual goals and objectives to agency strategic priorities. To support the ability of

agency leadership and staff to contribute to the results we

seek, we will create a framework of indicators to capture

and regularly monitor and update progress on strategy

implementation.

RESOURCE MOBiLiZATiON

It is critically important that CRS continues to improve our private and public

fundraising efforts to ensure the agency’s ability to fulfill our mission in an

increasingly competitive environment. This includes meeting the highest standards of stewardship to optimize the resources entrusted to us. By

demonstrating programmatic excellence to our institutional donors and

inspiring generosity from our private donors, we will maximize resources to

achieve our aspirations to reach more people than ever.


CONCLuSiONThis document represents the strategic framework and priorities for

Catholic Relief Services over the next 5 years. We have great strengths on

which to build.

Our Catholic identity, mission and guiding principles, and our commitment

to integral human development lay a strong foundation for guiding

and inspiring our work. We are blessed with strong relationships and

partnerships, generous donors, loyal supporters and talented staff

dedicated to excellence in all aspects of fulfilling our mission.

We are confident that successful implementation of our new strategic

priorities will deepen our ability to contribute to lasting, positive change in

the lives of poor and vulnerable people around the world—transforming

hope into harvest wherever we work.

We consider it a privilege to serve the common good and pledge to do

so with uncommon excellence.

PHOTOS BY:Sara A. Fajardo/CRS

(cover, 2, 5, 23)

Silverlight for CRS (inside front cover, 10, 12)

Karen Kasmauski for CRS (6, 19, 22, 25)

David Snyder/CRS (4)

Helen Blakesley/CRS (20)

Sam Tarling for CRS (26)

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MiSSiON STATEMENTCATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching as we act to:

• Promote human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies; and

• Serve Catholics in the United States as they live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world.

As part of the universal mission of the Catholic Church, we work with local, national and international Catholic institutions and structures, as well as other organizations, to assist people on the basis of need, not creed, race or nationality.

APPROVED BY THE CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2008.

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228 WEST LEXINGTON STREET • BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21201 • CRS.ORG

Documents

FROM HOPE TO HARVEST - Catholic Relief Services · Key trends: Economic pressures ... The world has made unprecedented progress in reducing poverty over the past three decades