Overview

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.

Background

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) was founded in 1943 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to assist the poor and disadvantaged. CRS returned to Cambodia in 1991 and currently works in the sectors of Health, Education, and Sustainable, with approximately 20 local partners. A head office is located in Phnom Penh. CRS Cambodia is the hub office for Southeast Asia programming, including Myanmar, Thailand and other outreach countries.

Value

GUIDING PRINCIPLES Our 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

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

Vision

Since 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

Goal

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, strengthe

Staff