Climate change: reflecting on 2017

News & Updates | Posted Friday, December 15, 2017

As we approach end of year celebrations, this is a good time to take stock, reflect and see what lies ahead in terms of climate change.  Here is my own 2017 review – the good, the bad and the hopeful. The good news is that, even if 2017 was marked by shock and dismay at the dismantling of once-bold U.S. …

Updated Emergency Appeal: U.S. Hurricane Relief

News & Updates | Posted Monday, October 2, 2017

Appeal code: 628-G Appeal amount: $600,000 This is an update to the September 11 appeal, which can be found here. Situation In the past six weeks, three powerful hurricanes have battered parts of the United States. There are nearly two months left in hurricane season as well. Hurricane Harvey dumped up to 50 inches of rain on parts of Texas. Piles of …

Updated Emergency Appeal: U.S. Hurricane Response

News & Updates | Posted Monday, September 11, 2017

Appeal code: 628-G  Appeal amount: $500,000  This is an update to the August 29 appeal, which can be found here. Situation Just over two weeks after Hurricane Harvey battered Texas’s Gulf Coast, Hurricane Irma churned north along Florida’s Gulf Coast this weekend. Although Irma has been downgraded to a Tropical Storm, it left as many as 6.5 million people across Florida without power. Nearly 10,000 army personnel are taking …

Situation Report: Louisiana Flooding

News & Updates | Posted Friday, August 19, 2016

Situation Torrential rainfall has resulted in massive flooding in southern Louisiana. About 40,000 homes have been destroyed by the floods and roughly 30,000 people have been rescued. Thirteen people have been killed and 86,500 people have filed for federal aid. (Source: New York Times) CWS Response When major emergencies happen in the United States, CWS provides supplies as requested, including …

One Humanity

News & Updates | Posted Friday, August 19, 2016

On World Humanitarian Day, we recognize the humanitarian aid workers who stand on the front lines of conflict and disaster, braving tremendous dangers and difficulties to help those who need it most. One of these humanitarian aid workers is my colleague, Harun Tambing. Harun has been a team member and leader in many of the humanitarian response actions that CWS …

A journey to survive

News & Updates | Posted Thursday, January 28, 2016

The Pacifique family is much like any other. Enjoying meals together, working, and going to school, their daily routines are the same as millions of other Americans. However, their journey to create this life was far from ordinary and often a journey to survive. Their journey started in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, the war in Congo, sometimes known …

Updated appeal: Europe refugee crisis

News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Appeal Code:  76-6640 Appeal amount:  $200,000 Funding Received to date: $141,000 This is an update to our October 8 appeal. SITUATION As of the end of October, more than 689,000 Syrians have sought asylum in Europe since the beginning of the conflict in 2011. They are joined in this journey into Europe by refugees and migrants from many other nations. …

Emergency Situation Report Update: Haiti-Dominican Republic Statelessness

News & Updates | Posted Friday, November 6, 2015

Situation Since March, thousands of Haitian migrants have returned to Haiti from the Dominican Republic due to pressure from recent Dominican Republic regulations. Voluntary and forceful returns are resulting in constant waves of Haitian migrants returning all along the border. There is no operational governmental plan to welcome them back. In the border area of Anse à Pitres, returnees have …

Appeal update: European refugee crisis

News & Updates | Posted Thursday, October 8, 2015

Appeal Code:  76-6640 Appeal amount:  $200,000 Funding Received to date: $71,000 This is an update to our September 11 appeal. SITUATION Hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants are continuing to make their way towards and into the European Union. As winter approaches, the need for food, water, shelter and other services in the countries through which they are passing …

Emergency appeal: refugee crisis in Europe

News & Updates | Posted Friday, September 11, 2015

Appeal Code:  76-6640 TOTAL initial appeal goal:  $200,000 SITUATION As hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants make their way towards and into the European Union, the influx of new arrivals has led to an increased demand for food, water, shelter and other services in the countries through which they are passing. One common route into the European Union is …