At Catholic Relief Services, we go far by putting our faith into action to achieve results. It’s what Jesus called us to do—and what, through the generosity of our donors, we’ve been doing for more than 75 years.
Recently in the United States, it’s been easy to feel overwhelmed by crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty and social unrest. But while attention has been focused at home, our brothers and sisters overseas still urgently need us.
Today, our faith calls us to go farther than ever. To build on our reach, the investment of our loyal supporters and the influence of the global Church, we have charted a plan to address some of the most pressing problems of the 21st century.
Our plan forward builds on our strengths and values, but it is bigger than ourselves. The United Nations recently released their Sustainable Development Goals—a universal call to action around 17 global priorities. Through Vision 2030, CRS’ 10-year, agency-wide strategy, we have identified priority outcomes that best align to our mission and expertise.
![Baby Lydia Victorio Saize with her family. Lydia's mother, Sophia, was over seven months pregnant when her family had to leave their home in the middle of the night because of cyclone related flooding. “When we arrived, we bathed and washed with just water. It was difficult to keep anything clean.” I had my baby a little less than two months after we arrived in this new place. Before the baby came, I was really worried because I didn’t know anyone here and we had lost everything, we didn’t have any of the things I needed for the baby. It was just an open issue without any hope. Even my husband and my whole family were worried about how to come up with the items and how to take care of the baby. Coincidentally the same week we received the items from the distribution, including the [hygiene] kit, was the same week I had my baby. The [hygiene] kit was really welcome. Because there were also some towels in the kit and other things we needed, including the soap itself. And yes, when it came it was really helpful, it was like it was sent specifically for me. I had my baby at home and then took the baby to the hospital the following day. I had my baby at home because the baby came too quickly. When it happened, my husband was not home and also the neighbors, because it was the first weeks when we had all gathered in the new settlement, there was not that trust. So when I got the baby at home everything just happened too quickly. Two women in the huts just next to mine heard me shouting when I was in labor and came to help me.” CRS is supporting Caritas Mozambique alongside Caritas member organizations to carry out emergency relief and recovery efforts in Mozambique. Assistance includes food, hygiene kits, kitchen kits, cholera prevention kits, emergency shelter supplies, seeds and farming tools such as hoes and cutlasses.](https://gofar.crs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/MOZ201952084-1-730x489.jpg)
Go FAR: The Campaign for Catholic Relief Services is what will fuel our work to put faith into action. This bold, groundbreaking campaign will be an accelerator toward Vision 2030, helping us fulfill our strategy for transformational change.
Through Go FAR, we challenge ourselves to apply proven models for global results. We TRANSFORM AGRICULTURAL LIVELIHOODS, STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE, BUILD SAFE AND DIGNIFIED HOMES AND MUCH MORE. We UNIFY AND MOBILIZE local partners, governments and the communities we serve. We leverage private resources for maximum impact.
Because we should, and because we can. Our deep Catholic faith tells us to help our brothers and sisters in most need. We know how to tackle the root causes of human suffering for the WHOLE PERSON, THE WHOLE FAMILY AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. And we have vast Church and professional networks that enable us to reach the world’s most vulnerable people.
We invite others to join us in the name of Jesus as we Go FAR, live our faith and champion people to become agents of their own destiny in a world where all people can reach their God-given potential. It’s a movement about faith, action and results. It’s what we should do and what we can do, together.