Church World Service

Appeal Code: 6290 Situation:  On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm and carved a devastating path from Florida’s Gulf Coast to Tennessee. Less than two weeks later, while many communities are still reeling from the massive destruction caused by Helene, Hurricane Milton is expected to hit shore by October 10, 2024 in the Tampa ... Read More

Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today expressed its deep concern about reports that the Biden administration does not have plans to establish a streamlined process to extend protections for humanitarian parolees from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The ‘CHNV’ (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela) private sponsorship program—which launched for Venezuelans in October 2022 and for other populations in January 2023—grants individuals ... Read More

Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today honors and remembers the lives of nearly 1,200 people who were killed one year ago by Hamas militants in Israel. The organization also laments the more than 41,689 Palestinian civilians who have lost their lives at the hands of Israel in the violence that has followed. For decades, violence towards civilians in Israel and Palestine ... Read More

My name is Leslie Bartholomew and I’m an Intensive Case Manager for the Garden Grove office in beautiful Southern California. I have been a Marriage and Family Therapist since 2011 and have been working with the unaccompanied minor and migrant family population for the past five years. When I was given an opportunity to share a blog entry to commemorate ... Read More

Four years ago, as I stood in line as a freshly naturalized U.S. citizen, I was overwhelmed with emotion. The nervousness coursing through me felt as though my very existence was at stake, which, in some ways, is how it feels for many immigrants. My deepest desire was to live here, to feel safe and to be truly welcome. But ... Read More

For Duane Mevis, a retired United Methodist Minister, the notion of coming together to make the world a better place has been a lifelong guiding principle. At 90 years old, he reflects on a life shaped by values that first took root on his family’s dairy farm in Wisconsin; values that would end up guiding him through a life driven ... Read More

Situation:  On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm and carved a devastating path from Florida’s Gulf Coast to Tennessee. Since then, the massive surge has resulted in power outages for millions of individuals across several states, several thousands of which are still without power. Thousands of homes have sustained major structural damage or been ... Read More

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the full extent of the devastation is still being uncovered. With over 130 confirmed fatalities, widespread flooding and millions without power, communities across the Southeast are facing long-term recovery efforts. Thousands of homes have sustained major structural damage or been destroyed, and federal disaster declarations have been issued in several states, including Florida and ... Read More

Manal Ahmed Al Awad, originally from Sudan, experienced a life of constant movement before finding temporary refuge in Rwanda. She and her daughter, Ifa, lived in the Gashora Transit Centre, located in the Bugesera District of Rwanda. The camp, initially established to address humanitarian crises in Libya and Burundi, provided essential services and protection that eventually led to their resettlement. ... Read More

In September, Jenny Boteler, a UCC Pastor at Union Congregational Church, joined CWS as a participant in the Hike for Hope in Yosemite National Park and shared reflections from the trip and the impact her long-standing partnership with CWS provides for communities around the world.  It was 50 years ago that I took my first steps with Church World Service. ... Read More

Washington, D.C.—CWS today celebrated President Biden’s issuance today of the FY 2025 Presidential Determination, with an admissions goal of resettling 125,000 refugees over the next year. After historic lows in resettlement just three years ago, the Biden Administration has made significant strides in rebuilding the U.S. refugee admissions program, honoring America’s spirit of welcome. Over 100,000 refugees have been resettled ... Read More

Washington, DC—CWS condemns the Biden administration’s decision to solidify its harsh restrictions on access to legal asylum protections at the U.S. southern border. As the world faces the greatest displacement and refugee crisis in history due to rising political persecution, violence, and climate change, it is more critical than ever that the United States protect our most vulnerable neighbors.  “Penalizing ... Read More

During September, which is also National Preparedness Month, CWS’ Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery (EPRR) team dedicated its time to equipping vulnerable communities in northern California with the knowledge and tools they need to survive a disaster. September is also a wildfire season, making the timing of these trainings ideal for those who participated. CWS’ EPRR Senior Program Officer, Melissa ... Read More

Tools and Resources to Take Action Civic Engagement Explore the CWS Civic Engagement Landing Page, which includes tools to learn more about naturalization, voter registration, voter education, and voter mobilization — providing paths for new Americans and others to get engaged in the voting process and build a plan to vote. The page also includes additional resources on uplifting refugee ... Read More

As the war in Ukraine continues, the needs of the people have not diminished, even as the international spotlight shifts and various NGOs have begun to depart from the region. Communities near the frontline have been shattered as families are forced to flee, leaving behind homes, livelihoods and a sense of security. Children are torn from schools, families are divided ... Read More

By July 2024, climate scientists were already projecting that this calendar year will end as the hottest one on record and have begun tracking the potential impacts of continued warming on critical climate system tipping points. Human-driven climate change continues to disproportionately impact poor, marginalized and excluded households and communities, both in the United States and globally. In many communities ... Read More

The California State Legislature recently passed vital legislation that would expand needed support and services for refugees and the California communities that welcome them. The bill has arrived on Governor Newsom’s desk, where he has until Monday, September 30th to decide whether to sign it into law or issue a veto.  Senate Bill 85 – Immigration: Case Management and Social ... Read More

After retiring eleven years ago from his role as a Commissioner on the Orange County Superior Court, Richard G. Vogl discovered a new passion: woodworking. “Since retirement, my hobby is making toys,” he says. These toys, crafted from wood, are designed for donation to children, including those from immigrant families and those facing life-threatening illnesses. Richard has heard of Church ... Read More

*Trigger Warning: the following text contains testimonies about domestic violence and abuse towards women.* The Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims, known as Memoria, is a CWS local partner in Moldova which serves Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan gender-based violence survivors to access life-saving medical and psychosocial support. The following are written by two program participants whose names and identities have remained ... Read More

In a small village in Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk region, Anna and her husband Andrei were building a life for their three sons. The dedication they gave to their family was extra special because they had an extra special son who has Down syndrome and requires additional care. Despite any challenges they faced, they were happy and united—until the war came. Financial ... Read More