In 1946, seventeen denominations formed
Church World Service (CWS) as a relief
agency. Churches throughout the United States provided over 11 million pounds
of food and medical supplies to communities in Europe and Asia that were
affected by World War II. Over the course of the next two decades, CWS
expanded its work into Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, and the
mission of the organization shifted from providing immediate disaster relief
to creating long-term development projects in partnership with local
communities. CWS also began to work in the United States to provide aid after
natural disasters and established refugee resettlement offices around the
country.
View the
collection
guide to learn more.
Featured image: Hurricane Flora aftermath, Haiti, 1963.