Last Updated: December 3, 2025 Situation: On Sunday, October 26, Hurricane Melissa intensified into a powerful Category 4 storm as it moved northwest through the Caribbean Sea, setting its sights on Jamaica in what the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned “could be the strongest direct landfall” Jamaica has ever recorded. The storm has since strengthened into a Category 5 …
Hiking for Hunger: A Walk Through Dunes, Dignity and the Drive for Justice
Katy Keck | October 22, 2025
This blog was written by Katy Keck, a former CWS board member and CROP Hunger Walk participant. From the sunlit dunes of west Michigan to the shuttered pantries of western Kenya, Katy reflects on her journey with Church World Service and the urgent call to end hunger injustice—locally and globally. Photos Courtesy of Katy Keck Walking with Purpose: From West …
Faith Leaders Condemn Administration Efforts to Abandon Historic U.S. Refugee Program
Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today alongside its fellow Covenant Members—with the full-fledged support of people of faith, refugee voices, and community leaders across the United States—condemned White House efforts to abandon the U.S. Refugee program. Amid escalating efforts from the Trump administration to undermine and close legal pathways offering protections to refugees and asylum seekers, today’s statement serves as a rallying …
The Human Impact of Policy Disruptions: Stories from CWS Fort Collins
Recent policy changes have had far-reaching consequences for individuals rebuilding their lives in the United States. At CWS Fort Collins, case navigators and program staff continue to witness the tangible effects of these changes. The following stories illustrate the challenges faced by newcomers due to disruptions in work authorization, travel restrictions and benefit programs. Work Authorization Delays and Revocations One …
Backgrounder: Congressional Consultations Required by the Refugee Act of 1980
October 20, 2025
The Refugee Act of 1980 established the framework for refugee resettlement and the protection of asylum seekers that remains the core of U.S. refugee and asylum law today. The law requires the president to set a refugee admissions target, or “Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions” (PD) by the end of each fiscal year on September 30 and establishes a process …
Bridging the Gap: How CWS Virtual Integration Services Is Reaching Refugees in Remote Communities
October 10, 2025
CWS’s Virtual Integration Services program delivers remote, personalized support to refugees and ORR-eligible community members living in underserved areas—ensuring access to case management, economic empowerment resources and client-centered care no matter where they are. By removing geographic barriers, the program helps newcomers build stable, self-sufficient lives rooted in dignity and belonging. Since its founding in the aftermath of World War …
Improving Health and Dignity for Refugees in Nakivali: A Comprehensive WASH Initiative
In southwestern Uganda, Church World Service is leading a transformative Water, Sanitation and Hygiene initiative in Nakivale Refugee Settlement, improving daily life for nearly 190,000 refugees through clean water access, safe sanitation and community education. Addressing Urgent Needs in Nakivale Nakivale Refugee Settlement, one of Africa’s largest and oldest, hosts approximately 190,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, …
Lakou Tanama: Elevating Haitian Voices in Healing Justice
Alex Morse |
Trigger warning: This article mentions instances of suicide. CWS has partnered with the Haiti Health Network and Lakou Tanama to pilot a culturally centered and community-based training series in Kreyol for Haitian entrants in the United States. Through Healing Spaces, the pilot project offers a safe environment for participants to share, connect and heal—addressing urgent needs often overlooked by mainstream …
Youth Advocate for Safer Spaces: A Step Toward Dignity and Rights
October 9, 2025
On September 30, CWS Latin America and Caribbean commemorated the International Day of Children and Adolescents with Incarcerated Adult Relatives, highlighting a major milestone in the defense of their rights: the participation of youth representatives in a thematic hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the resulting Resolution 2/25, which recognizes the rights of children affected by incarceration. …
Hope Amid Hardship: Supporting Families in the DRC’s Deepening Crisis
October 7, 2025
Escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has displaced hundreds of thousands and intensified an already dire humanitarian crisis. In response, CWS has expanded its presence and launched a new food assistance initiative to support thousands of vulnerable families in Kasai-Central Province. A Crisis Deepens: Conflict and Displacement in the DRC Since January, escalating conflict has displaced hundreds of …