PROVIDENCE — In March, following government cuts in response to its International Humanitarian Assistance Review, Catholic Relief Services was forced to halt much of its U.S. government-supported work due to the lack of payments. This left food stranded in warehouses that could not be distributed to the hungry women and children unable to access vital health and nutrition services around the globe, according to CRS.
“As part of the Catholic Church, Catholic Relief Services believes that human life is a precious gift from God that must be protected and nurtured,” Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States, said in a statement at the time.
The agency alleviates suffering and assists people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality.
Many local CRS chapters have been hosting fundraisers to help replace even a small portion of the humanitarian assistance that was cut.
The Providence Chapter, Communidad de Solidaridad, a diocesan group, is planning a bilingual event, featuring a night of festive music and witness, and a reflection by Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R. for Friday, Aug. 29, from 7-9 p.m., at at McVinney Auditorium, 43 Dave Gavitt Way, Providence.
The chapter supports the CRS mission locally, raising awareness of the mission of CRS overseas, and offers prayers and advocacy for international humanitarian aid, including sending letters to Congress in support of the mission.
Bishop Lewandowski will offer an hour of reflection on solidarity and compassion, and the program will end with presentations by the PVD Worship Ministry and a few members from national worship ministry Novum Collective.
Silvio Cuéllar, who works for the Hispanic Team of Catholic Relief Services, is one of the event co-coordinators. Cuéllar’s daughter, Sister Juan Maria of the Holy Spirit, CFR, will share her witness talk on working with the poor in New York City and some of the overseas missions she has served in.
“There is a sense of urgency globally because Catholic Relief Services and a lot of other nonprofits have lost a lot of government funding,” Cuellar said.
“They lost about 90 percent of government funding since January, funds that provided for disease prevention and meals to hundreds of thousands worldwide.”
He said that CRS has had to cancel 11 of 13 programs they were managing that provided lunch to 800,000 kids in 13 countries.
“Just in the Latin American countries alone, especially Guatemala and Honduras, each of those was serving over 50,000 kids. So those cuts are having a huge impact and it is affecting so many lives,” he said.
He said he spoke with a colleague in Sierra Leone who told him that more than 50,000 kids were now without meals in school, where for most that was their only secure meal of the day.
“So, the impact is severe and we’re just trying to do our part. Maybe we could help some of these programs and cover some of the holes these government cuts have created,” he said.
Catholic Relief Services said that these programs do more than save lives.
“They help lift communities and countries out of poverty. They support local faith-based and church partners that provide services and stability to their communities and to their countries,” the agency said.
Tickets to cover the cost of the event will be available at the door. Additionally, free will donations to support CRS’ mission are strongly encouraged.
“We invite people to come enjoy the music, reflection and witness while raising funds in the process,” Cuellar said. “We’re hoping that people will also be able to be generous.”
For more information, please contact Silvio Cuéllar, CRS, at 401-714-8096 or Celso Vera, diocesan Hispanic Ministry, at 401-421-7833, ext. 233.
