Catholic Relief Services - CRS
Founded in 1943 by the Catholic Bishops of the United States, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community. It is currently working in more than 100 countries around the world responding to human needs in the following ways:
- Provides relief to victims of disasters
- Provides assistance to the poor to alleviate their immediate needs
- Supports self-help programs that involve people in their own development
- Collaborates with religious and non-sectarian groups of goodwill in programs and projects that contribute to a more equitable society
- Helps to educate the people of the United States to become aware of and to fulfill their moral responsibilities in alleviating human suffering, removing its causes and promoting social justice
For more information about the work of CRS, please go to their website at www.crs.org.
The Catholic Relief Services Coordinator for the Diocese of Oakland works closely with the diocesan Office of Life and Justice and with the diocesan Global Solidarity Team to provide the following:
- Local education on current issues of the developing world and CRS's response
- Promotion of CRS programs such as Food Fast, the Work of Human Hands Fair Trade program and Operation Rice Bowl
- Building global solidarity in the Diocese, through events, programs and projects
- Availability for justice retreats focused on global issues
- Resource to parishes on global issues
Operation Rice Bowl Grant Program
Operation Rice Bowl (ORB) is the Lenten program that invites Catholics to pray with their families and faith communities; fast in solidarity with those who hunger; learn about our global community and the challenges of poverty overseas; and give sacrificial contributions to those in need. It is conducted in Catholic parishes and schools in this diocese as well as dioceses throughout the United States. Seventy five percent of the funds raised by this program are used by CRS for international relief and development projects, and twenty five percent is kept locally, part of which is distributed within the diocese in the form of grants for hunger and poverty abatement programs.
For more information about Operation Rice Bowl, please go to http://orb.crs.org.
Grants are given to parishes, organizations and projects within the Diocese of Oakland that are working to alleviate hunger, either through food programs (i.e., food pantries and soup kitchens) or through addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty (i.e., projects dealing with economic development, anti-hunger advocacy and organizing, etc.). Non-Catholic churches and organizations are also eligible to apply. Our allocations committee will be considering proposals for up to $1,000.
The 2011 Operation Rice Bowl Grant cycle begins July 15th with the acceptance of grant proposals. The deadline for submission of proposals is Wednesday, September 14th. Decisions on the applications will be made by the end of October and applicants will be notified of the decisions soon afterwards.
To Apply for an Operation Rice Bowl Grant:
For more information about the ORB grants and/or to apply, please download the grant guidelines and application form:
2011 ORB Grant Application.pdf
2011 ORB Grant Application.doc
An article on Operation Rice Bowl Grant can be found here:
http://www.catholicvoiceoakland.org/2011/12-12/inthisissue14.htm
The CRS local office is located at:
Catholic Charities of the East Bay
433 Jefferson Street
Oakland, CA 94607
For more information about Catholic Relief Services and its local programs, contact Marc McKimmey, CRS Diocesan Coordinator, by e-mail at mmckimmey@cceb.org or by telephone at 510.768.3116.
Board Resolution on Health Care in California
CCEB Healthcare Board Resolution