ANNUAL REPORT 2025

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Dear CWS friends,

It has been a stormy year. Since taking office in January, the new administration has dismantled the policies and structures that countless people rely on. They have attempted to deny the legitimate and legal claims of people seeking safety. They have cut vital food programs, undermined emergency response efforts and gutted services that millions of people count on to meet their basic needs. They have also eliminated humanitarian programs worldwide and abandoned commitments to neighbors near and far.

The number of people who need programs like ours is surging, but these programs have been cut. These funding cuts have forced us to say goodbye to hundreds of brilliant team members. We’ve had to close offices and adjust much of our programming.

The storms are raging, but CWS has a sturdy foundation and deep roots. For nearly 80 years, we’ve built sustainable, community-driven programs alongside people and partners all over the world. Our work is grounded in our vision of a world where everyone has food, voice and a safe place to call home. No matter the headwinds, we will put one foot in front of the other. We are still walking alongside communities worldwide—meeting urgent needs and advocating for lasting change—as they put food on the table, find new or improved ways to earn a living and build safer, healthier lives.

You will see examples throughout this report of how we’re standing strong and fighting back. Whether you’re an advocate, a volunteer or a donor, you’re standing with us.

We are founded on the rock. Our movement endures, and I’m so glad that you’re here.

In solidarity,

Rick Santos
President and CEO
Church World Service

Holding Onto Hope

One Family’s Fight for a Better Life

At just 13 years old, Pacito fled the Democratic Republic of Congo, beginning a long and uncertain journey in search of safety. Nine years later, he was living in Nairobi, Kenya with his wife and son, filled with hope about the chance to build a safe new life in the United States.

“When I was given the chance to move to America, it felt like I was given a second chance at life,” he said.

The family sold their belongings, packed only what could fit in their luggage and prepared for a new beginning. But the day before departure, Pacito received a devastating call—their flight was canceled.

“I hoped there was a mistake,” he recalled. That night, they slept outside the transit center with other refugee families. The next morning, they learned the truth: refugee travel had been suspended. “I [didn’t] know what [we were] going to do. We have nothing.”

With a single signature, President Trump’s executive order halted all refugee admissions—derailing years of preparation and putting countless lives at risk. Families like Pacito’s, who had endured endless rounds of paperwork, medical exams and interviews, were suddenly left in limbo, their hopes for a new life shattered.

In response, CWS joined resettlement agencies and individuals in filing the first lawsuit challenging the refugee ban and funding freeze: Pacito v. Trump. CWS supporters rallied—giving generously to keep refugee programs running and advocating to preserve our nation’s legacy of welcome.

Thanks to a temporary court ruling, Pacito and his family finally departed for the United States in July 2025. “I feel like I’m blessed,” he shared upon his arrival. Because of CWS’s legal action, 160 other refugees like Pacito have also been welcomed to the United States, along with 1,000 Afghans seeking safety.

Pacito’s story now has a happy ending, but many others are still being written. Tens of thousands of refugees still wait for the case’s outcome, holding onto hope for a safe new future. As they wait to find refuge, the CWS community continues to walk alongside our neighbors—standing up, speaking out and ensuring that everyone has a safe place to call home.

Holding on to Hope