Catholic Relief Services
Summary
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and disadvantaged outside the country. The fundamental motivating force in all activities of CRS is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the alleviation of human suffering, the development of people and the fostering of charity and justice in the world. CRS provides direct aid to the poor, and involves people in their own development, helping them to realize their potential. It is devoted to educating the people of the United States to recognize that it is a moral responsibility to help the poor, work to remove the causes of poverty, and promote social justice.
Contact Information: [ Back to top ]
| Mailing Address: | 228 West Lexington St
Baltimore, MD
21201-1201 |
| Website: | www.crs.org |
| Phone: | (410) 625-2220, (800) 235-2772 |
| Email: | You need to enable javascript to see the email |
Organization Details [ Back to top ]
EIN: 135563422
| CEO/President: |
Mr. Kenneth F. Hackett |
Tax Deductible: |
Yes |
| Chairman: |
Most Rev. Timothy Dolan |
Fiscal Year End: |
September 30 |
| Board Size: |
20 |
Financial info from: |
Audit |
| Founder: |
Catholic Bishops of the United States |
Member of ECFA: |
No |
| Year Founded: |
1943 |
Member of ECFA since: |
|
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) was founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and disadvantaged outside the country. The purpose and programs of CRS is based in the Gospel of Jesus Christ; to that end, CRS is committed to the alleviation of human suffering, the development of people and the fostering of charity and justice in the world. CRS provides direct aid to the poor, and involves people in their own development, helping them to realize their potential. CRS educates the people of the United States to fulfill their moral responsibilities towards others around the world.
Catholic 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.
Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]
Most recently (July, 2008), CRS reports the following Program Accomplishments for the previous year:
- Emergency relief in the aftermath of the Peru earthquake, and storms and flooding in Latin America, the Caribbean, South Asia and West Africa.
- Antiretroviral therapy to 100,000 with HIV, and related medical care and support to an additional 250,000 people.
- Life-changing agricultural advancements to prevent a food crisis in the Great Lakes region of Africa.
- A third year of remarkable recovery from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
- Improved access to clean water in 79 Honduran communities.
- Promotion of breastfeeding to prevent malnutrition in Kenya.
- Job training to prevent human trafficking in Moldova.
- Conflict resolution classes for 140 community volunteers in Uganda.
- Sixty years of service to the poor with the National Council of Catholic Women.
Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]
Rather than a “Statement of Faith,” CRS provides its “Guiding Principles,” which follow.
As the official international Catholic relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Relief Services draws upon a rich tradition of Scripture and Catholic social teaching, which serve as the foundation for CRS' Guiding Principles. Acting as a guide to what a just world might look like, these Principles are shared across religious and cultural boundaries and articulate values that are common among people who seek to promote and work towards true justice and lasting peace.
Created in the image of God, all human life is sacred and possesses a dignity that comes directly from our creation and not from any action of our own.
Every person has basic rights and responsibilities that flow from our human dignity and that belong to us as human beings regardless of any social or political structures. The rights are numerous and include those things that make life truly human. Corresponding to our rights are duties and responsibilities to respect the rights of others and to work for the common good of all.
All of us are social by nature and are called to live in community with others — our full human potential isn't realized in solitude, but in community with others. How we organize our families, societies and communities directly affects human dignity and our ability to achieve our full human potential.
In order for all of us to have an opportunity to grow and develop fully, a certain social fabric must exist within society. This is the common good. Numerous social conditions — economic, political, material and cultural — impact our ability to realize our human dignity and reach our full potential.
A higher level of government — or organization — should not perform any function or duty that can be handled more effectively at a lower level by people who are closer to the problem and have a better understanding of the issue.
We are all part of one human family — whatever our national, racial, religious, economic or ideological differences — and in an increasingly interconnected world, loving our neighbor has global dimensions.
In every economic, political and social decision, a weighted concern must be given to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable. When we do this we strengthen the entire community, because the powerlessness of any member wounds the rest of society.
There is inherent integrity to all of creation and it requires careful stewardship of all our resources, ensuring that we use and distribute them justly and equitably — as well as planning for future generations.
In 1943, during World War II, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) first began its work focused on the resettlement of war refugees in Europe. The Roman Catholic Bishops of the United States established CRS to help war-torn Europe and its refugees recover from this great conflict. Even today, the mission of CRS continues to focus on the poor overseas, using the gospel of Jesus Christ as their mandate. They seek to help those most in need, providing assistance on the basis of need, without regard to race, creed, or nationality.
In the 1950s, as Europe regained its balance, the agency began to look to other parts of the world, seeking out those who could benefit from the assistance of Catholics in the United States. And for the next two decades, Catholic Relief Services expanded its operations and opened offices in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
During this time of expansion, CRS built on its tradition of providing relief in emergency situations and began to seek ways to help people in the developing world break the cycle of poverty through community-based, sustainable development initiatives. These programs, which today include agricultural initiatives, community banks, health education, and clean water projects, ensure that the local population is the central participant in its own development and that a project can be sustained through the effort and resources of the local community.
In the 1990's, the presence of Catholic Relief Services in the aftermath of natural disasters like Hurricane Mitch in Central America or man-made tragedies, such as Kosovo, is complemented by a continuing commitment to the development of civil society in these areas. With over a half-century's worth of experience overseas, Catholic Relief Services understands that rebuilding societies requires more than mortar and bricks. Through its work, the agency seeks to foster within the U.S. Catholic community a sense of global solidarity, providing inspiration to live out the spiritual tradition of compassionate service to the world.
As of the summer of 2008, CRS reports that its most pressing need is meeting food shortages and the resulting hunger and disease. According to the CRS website, “The recent skyrocketing cost of food staples around the world is making national and international headlines. The crisis is prompting economists, agronomists, finance ministers and heads of state to come up with immediate and long-term solutions so that more widespread price increases are averted and increasing discontent is mitigated. “What we are seeing is unprecedented,” says Catholic Relief Services food aid expert Lisa Kuennen-Asfaw. “If immediate needs are not met, and if resources and policies supporting increased agricultural production are not put in place soon, we are heading for a cascade of hunger the world over.” To learn more about this and other needs, visit the organization’s website.
Research Analysis
Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]
| Transparency Grade of : A |
| Criteria category | Grade | Other Comments |
| Timeliness: | 100 | |
| Financial Information: | 100 | |
| Foundational Clarity: | | |
| Level of Cooperation: | | |
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MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]
| Ranking Category | Rating | Overall Rank | Relief and Development Sector |
|---|
| Overall Efficiency Rating |  | 62 of 352 | 24 of 54 |
| Fund Acquisition Decision |  | 109 of 352 | 29 of 54 |
| Resource Allocation Decision | | 26 of 352 | 17 of 54 |
| Asset Utilization Decision | | 166 of 352 | 35 of 54 |
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MinistryWatch.com’s Take
October, 2004; Updated July, 2008
By J. Andrew Preslar and Michael Barrick
Essence and Organization
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international relief and development agency which exists in order to provide life-sustaining and life-enhancing aid to the world’s poorest and most destitute persons. CRS represents the United States Catholic community in the world arena of social justice and relief work. It is governed by the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and works in partnership with the U. S. and foreign governments, other Catholic agencies, local dioceses, and local (secular and faith-related) relief and development organizations. CRS is active in more than 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean. CRS serves the world’s poorest people via its agriculture, AIDS, community health, education, emergency response, peace building, civil rights and advocacy, and micro financing programs.
CRS’ staff is headed by an executive staff under the leadership of President and CEO Kenneth Hackett. CRS Presidents are appointed by and answerable to a board of directors that includes up to 25 people, including bishops, priests and lay persons. Although organized by and representative of U. S. Catholics, CRS employs both Catholics and non-Catholics, Also, CRS partners with the U. S. government and various secular agencies, although it does place a priority on collaborating with Catholic agencies.
Catholic Social Teaching
CRS’ call is for people of every faith to work together to eliminate poverty and social injustice. The principles which supply the direct motivation and inspiration for the work of CRS is based upon Catholic Social Teaching, a body of beliefs which are associated with the Gospel, but acceptable, in principle, by people of all faiths; indeed, these beliefs form the basis for the programs utilized by CRS to fulfill its Mission Statement. There, CRS affirms that its activities are motivated by the “Gospel of Jesus Christ as it pertains to the alleviation of human suffering, the development of people and the fostering of charity and justice in the world.”
CRS uses the following categories to summarize Catholic Social Teaching:
- Dignity and Equality: All people are created in the image of God; hence, each person is endowed with dignity and equality.
- Rights and Responsibilities: Flowing from the dignity of humankind are unconditional rights and responsibilities. Human beings cannot reach their full potential where these rights are denied or responsibilities shirked.
- Social Nature: Human beings cannot reach their full potential in isolation from others. Man is by nature a social being, and must learn to pursue his ends as such.
- Common Good: The end which man as a social being ought to pursue is the common good. The common good is defined as the social fabric which allows every human being to reach his or her full potential.
- Subsidiarity: The organization of a community for purposes of the common good should be carried out, as much as is possible, at the level of authority/ government most intimately connected with the lives of the people. In other words, what can be more effectively accomplished by lower level government should not be handled by higher level government.
- Solidarity: The principle of charity, or of loving one’s neighbors, has global dimensions. The human species is a unit, with each member related to each.
- Preferential Option for the Poor: The solidarity of the human species entails that the suffering and/or powerlessness of any member or class within that unit impacts the whole in a negative way. This means that the weakest and most vulnerable in any community have the greatest claim to the concern of the whole, and should be given whatever special care and opportunities are necessary for their health and empowerment.
- Stewardship: The solidarity of the species and the preferential option for the poor which is necessary to the well being of the whole demand that the resources of the whole be distributed in a just and equitable manner.
The foregoing principles permeate each of CRS’ programs. This view of humankind, as individuals invested by nature with certain rights and as a global family existing as a relational unit, constitutes the “macro-perspective” from which CRS approaches relief and development work. The programs by which CRS “puts feet to” Catholic Social Teaching are, in turn, informed by four additional points of emphasis:
- Justice: This point of emphasis determines to whom CRS will minister. In keeping with the principles of solidarity, preferential option for the poor, and stewardship, CRS promotes justice by focusing its efforts on the world’s poorest, most vulnerable, and marginalized people and communities.
- Local Capacity Building: CRS’ emphasis on local capacity building determines the nature of its partnerships. In general, CRS prefers, in keeping with the principle of subsidiarity, to work with and strengthen local agencies. Thus, CRS hopes to help create healthy and self-sustaining communities.
- Gender Equity: In keeping with the principles of dignity and equality and rights and responsibilities, CRS seeks to ensure that the women in the communities where it works have access to basic services and business opportunities. CRS’ emphasis on gender equity is also a way in which it promotes justice, that is, by providing preferential options for a traditionally marginalized element in many societies.
- Food Security: CRS is committed to food security for all people, which is a basic form of justice and expression of charity. Food security means guaranteeing that people have access to daily food without compromising their future security.
Charity and Justice
The scope of CRS’ mission is broad, the size and operating budget of the ministry is great, and the extent of its programs is wide. Nevertheless, CRS’ total mission, including the ideological commitments outlined above, can be summarized in two words found in the organization’s mission statement: charity and justice. Charity motivates and serves as the basis for justice, while justice extends and reinforces works of charity by addressing the root causes (at the natural and social levels) of human affliction. Charity is the motivating force behind all of CRS’ work, and is displayed most clearly in the organization’s relief programs. Providing food, shelter, clean water, and basic health services to the poorest people in the world is, however, only one aspect of CRS’ mission. CRS’ developmental programs extend the sphere of charity and deepen its impact in a region through working to establish justice. Here justice is defined as that factor in society whereby every person is ensured of the following: (1) perennial access to the commodities most basic to survival (thus building on CRS relief programs), and (2) a social structure which respects and reinforces the basic human rights outlined in Catholic Social Teaching, including equal opportunities for every citizen and civil liberties.
CRS Programs
Emergency Response: CRS responds to natural disasters and “complex emergencies” (such as political crises) by teaming with local agencies to ensure that the victims of such disasters receive the temporary relief (including food, water, and shelter) they need to survive and to develop long-term strategies for reconstruction and restitution.
Safety Net: This program is an advocacy program on behalf of the people it serves in which CRS exhorts governments around the world to provide for the basic needs of people who are unable to provide for themselves.
HIV/ AIDS: CRS’ community-based AIDS programs focus upon providing basic services and commodities to children orphaned due to AIDS, enlisting volunteers to visit and care for those suffering from HIV/AIDS, and addressing root causes by means of AIDS prevention education (including the advocacy of abstinence). CRS sponsors and develops education and care programs, and implements those programs in communities through its field staff and the cooperation of local churches, parish mission hospitals, and indigenous agencies.
Community Health: CRS works to train local health leaders to care for the basic health needs of the people in their communities. Particular projects include building permanent health centers, working to provide communities with clean water, and constructing latrines. CRS’ emphasis here is upon developing community capacity to achieve and maintain a healthy environment and health services.
Education: CRS’ education program is designed to ensure that every person in the areas where CRS works has access to quality basic education. Particular facets of this program include providing direct support for schools in crisis areas (e.g., materials and funds for facility reconstruction), promoting community participation in education by supporting “grassroots” organizations which work with local schools, and providing school students with meals. CRS’ school meals program ensures that poverty-stricken children have access to food and at the same time acts as an incentive for children to attend school (in many areas take-home rations are provided in addition to lunch).
Agriculture: CRS works with farmers as partners, encouraging them to treat their farm as a small business enterprise. Farmers are encouraged and trained to focus on diverse production systems, eco-friendly methods of working the land, and “cross-community collaboration.” CRS is committed to ensuring immediate benefits for the farming communities in which it works, these being located in some of the poorest and most disease- and disaster-afflicted regions in the world. Many of these regions are farmed out of necessity, the climate not being ideal for raising crops. CRS works with farmers and local agencies to develop marketing strategies to help small farms become competitive and profitable. One of CRS’ most successful endeavors is its sponsorship of “Seed Fairs,” wherein local farmers receive vouchers from CRS by which they may purchase seed from local sellers, which vouchers are in turn redeemed by CRS for money. CRS focuses its efforts upon women buyers, with more than 50 percent of buyers in the “Seed Fairs” program being women. Funds for these and other agricultural development programs are supplied by funds from USG foreign aid programs as well as the European Union. CRS works in 34 nations around the world, in partnership with local relief and development agencies, to develop and implement productive, safe, and sustainable farming strategies.
Micro-finance: This program helps the self-employed poor gain access to reliable financial services. CRS focuses on providing loans to business women, with more than 80 percent of all the loans given out through the program going to women. CRS provides support to local financial organizations which display the commitment and capacity to provide financial services to poor and marginalized persons in the community. These types of arrangements focus upon community cooperation and mutual concern, and goes hand-in-hand with CRS’ principle of solidarity and its commitment to local capacity building.
Peace Building: CRS’ peace-building programs promote stability in regions torn apart by war or natural disasters. CRS helps to mediate disputes in regions which lack any central control (especially refugee camps). This is accomplished by means of providing emergency relief, human rights education, and by helping people to address the root causes of conflict. CRS has peace-building operations working in some of the world’s most volatile regions, such as East Africa and the Balkans.
Civil Rights and Advocacy: CRS helps to promote awareness, the spirit of charity, and the desire for global justice by means of a variety of educational and advocacy programs. Although more than one-half of CRS’ revenue is supplied by the U. S. government, the organization emphasizes the importance of the private contributions of individuals, which serve as an indicator of its efficacy and reliability, which renders the government more likely to allocate funds for CRS programs. CRS gets its mission and message out to the public by mail and by print and television advertisement.
Ministry Statement or Response [ Back to top ]
Financial Information:
| Balance Sheet |
| Assets | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
| Cash | $87,811,000 | $103,793,000 | $109,521,000 | $84,109,000 | $90,566,000 |
| Receivables, Inventories & Prepaids | $41,500,000 | $36,071,000 | $35,822,000 | $37,599,000 | $45,352,000 |
| Short-Term Investments | $45,494,000 | $42,953,000 | $43,033,000 | $39,909,000 | $38,685,000 |
| Other Current Assets | $2,740,000 | $18,872,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Current Assets | $177,545,000 | $201,689,000 | $188,376,000 | $161,617,000 | $174,603,000 |
| Long-Term Investments | $136,113,000 | $166,080,000 | $187,501,000 | $75,689,000 | $85,971,000 |
| Fixed Assets | $51,366,000 | $33,748,000 | $30,696,000 | $15,652,000 | $14,597,000 |
| Other Long-Term Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Long-Term Assets | $187,479,000 | $199,828,000 | $218,197,000 | $91,341,000 | $100,568,000 |
| TOTAL ASSETS | $365,024,000 | $401,517,000 | $406,573,000 | $252,958,000 | $275,171,000 |
| Liabilities | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
| Payables & Accrued Expenses | $72,453,000 | $48,931,000 | $48,538,000 | $41,526,000 | $41,279,000 |
| Other Current Liabilities | $87,501,000 | $85,398,000 | $101,715,000 | $96,461,000 | $113,694,000 |
| Total Current Liabilities | $159,954,000 | $134,329,000 | $150,253,000 | $137,987,000 | $154,973,000 |
| Debt | $40,091,000 | $34,551,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due To (From) Affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other Long-Term Liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Long-Term Liabilities | $40,091,000 | $34,551,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| TOTAL LIABILITIES | $200,045,000 | $168,880,000 | $150,253,000 | $137,987,000 | $154,973,000 |
| Assets | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
| Unrestricted | $61,137,000 | $69,882,000 | $75,137,000 | $80,310,000 | $77,327,000 |
| Temporarily Restricted | $98,658,000 | $158,203,000 | $177,363,000 | $31,589,000 | $39,829,000 |
| Permanently Restricted | $5,184,000 | $4,552,000 | $3,820,000 | $3,072,000 | $3,042,000 |
| NET ASSETS | $164,979,000 | $232,637,000 | $256,320,000 | $114,971,000 | $120,198,000 |
| Revenue and Expenses |
| Revenue | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
| Total Contributions | $515,511,000 | $558,728,000 | $691,944,000 | $554,720,000 | $481,561,000 |
| Program Service Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership Dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment Income | $18,248,000 | $12,684,000 | $14,991,000 | $13,300,000 | $28,153,000 |
| Other Revenue | ($4,152,000) | $1,942,000 | $959,000 | $248,000 | ($10,073,000) |
| Total Other Revenue | $14,096,000 | $14,626,000 | $15,950,000 | $13,548,000 | $18,080,000 |
| TOTAL REVENUE | $529,607,000 | $573,354,000 | $707,894,000 | $568,268,000 | $499,641,000 |
| Expenses | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
| Program Services | $560,060,000 | $561,357,000 | $533,835,000 | $544,062,000 | $490,307,000 |
| Management & General | $14,179,000 | $12,548,000 | $10,504,000 | $11,026,000 | $9,910,000 |
| Fundraising | $23,026,000 | $23,132,000 | $22,206,000 | $18,407,000 | $20,490,000 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $597,265,000 | $597,037,000 | $566,545,000 | $573,495,000 | $520,707,000 |
| Change in Net Assets | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
| SURPLUS (DEFICIT) | ($67,658,000) | ($23,683,000) | $141,349,000 | ($5,227,000) | ($21,066,000) |
| Other Changes in Net Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| TOTAL CHANGE IN NET ASSETS | ($67,658,000) | ($23,683,000) | $141,349,000 | ($5,227,000) | ($21,066,000) |