Situation A magnitude seven earthquake hit a rural area of Sichuan province in southwest China the morning of Saturday, April 20, affecting several Ya’an counties, including Lushan county, the quake’s epicenter. The earthquake has affected 1.5 million people, killing at least 188, injuring more than 11,000 and destroying at least 10,000 homes. The quake cut power and communication lines and …
Ending Hunger One Volunteer at a Time
Krista Connelly | April 22, 2013
As my first year at CWS comes to a close I look back at all that my CROP Hunger Walk volunteers have accomplished. What a difference they have made in the fight against hunger. Together they have advocated for the 925 million people who do not have enough to eat. They have educated others on what it means to live …
CWS Applauds Introduction of Immigration Reform Bill
Washington, D.C. – The immigration reform bill introduced last week came before the senate judiciary committee this morning. Church World Service, which supports reform of the nation’s immigration laws, is grateful that a bill finally has been introduced and pleased that committee chair Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has committed to an “open process” to debate the bill in committee. “CWS has …
Situation Report #2: Pakistan Displacement
April 19, 2013
Situation: As reported in an April 8 situation report, the recent increase in fighting in the Bagh Maidan area of Tirah Valley in northern Pakistan, close to the border with Afghanistan, has resulted in large numbers of displaced communities. The displacement began late last month. What initially started as a few hundred families fleeing quickly grew to 6,000 families; now …
Oscar Romero Lives On; A New Start for Youth in Haiti
Margot de Greef |
On March 24, 1980: a man named Oscar Romero got killed in El Salvador. A man who stood up for the poor and oppressed. Thirty years later, CWS named its vocational school after this man. Oscar Romero, a dream that arose from the rubble of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A place where youth get a second chance. Single teenage mothers and ex-gang …
Food: The Tie That Binds
Matt Hackworth | April 18, 2013
We stood on a street corner, squinting in the morning sun. Me with a video camera, he perched against a wall, cigarette in one hand and his dog’s leash in the other. Even though Gary is homeless, it wasn’t long before we found our common ground. Sweet, hickory-smoked common ground. “It’s a pulled pork sandwich with a beer-mustard sauce and …
Appeal Update: Early 2013 Storms, Floods and Tornadoes (US)
April 17, 2013
Appeal: # 627-X Appeal goal: $25,000 Situation: Severe weather April 10-13 brought high winds, heavy rains and tornadoes to states in the U.S. Midwest and South. States affected include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Additionally, a strong winter storm continued to bring heavy snow, hail and freezing rain to the Upper Midwest. The states affected …
CWS Joins Interfaith Blessing for Immigrants’ Rights
Rev. Noel Andersen |
As the sun beat down, a small breeze gave slight relief to the line of forty clergy from diverse traditions waiting to go on stage to face a crowd of nearly 100,000 people all coming with the demand that the “Time is Now, All In for Immigration Reform. “ Right before the band Santa Cecilia played one of my favorite …
CWS Hopeful on Immigration Reform Proposal
Washington, D.C. – Church World Service expressed hope that the bipartisan immigration reform bill introduced on Tuesday by eight senators will provide much needed reform to the country’s immigration system. In a statement released following introduction of the bill, CWS President and CEO the Rev. John McCullough said, “CWS welcomes today’s introduction of a bipartisan immigration reform bill. We are …
Faith Leaders Urge Congress & Obama to Stand by Americans
Faithful Budget for FY 2014 demonstrates how federal budget choices can and must reflect America’s shared values Washington, D.C. -– Church World Service joined a coalition of America’s major national religious organization and leaders on Monday in unveiling the “Faithful Budget for FY 2014” an expression of the faith community’s budget priorities. The spending proposal stands in stark contrast to …