Catholic Relief Services prepares for massive cuts to refugee programs as USAID funding dries up

Catholic Relief Services is the top recipient of funding from the now shuttered USAID and now that the aid is drying up, so too are their services. The international Catholic charity is looking at 50 percent cuts due to the changes the Trump administration has wrought on global investment.

Catholic Relief Services was founded in 1943 by the US Bishops Conference. The mission of the group was to aid survivors of World War II on the European continent. The agency's mission is "to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas." As part of that mission, they provide refugee assistance in Syria, eastern Congo, Ukraine, and other locations. They provide "food and support for refugees who are homeless and living outside shelters." In addition, they give those refugees relief kits of bedding, stoves, buckets, and other necessities. 

"We are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, foster charity and justice, and embody Catholic social and moral teaching as we act to: Promote human development... Serve Catholics in the United States,” a mission statement says on the organization’s website.

"Our faith knows no bounds," they say. "With abiding faith in God, who works through us and through our partners, there is no limit to what we can do in service to others. We share a tireless commitment to advocating for our marginalized sisters and brothers while uplifting the dignity of the human person. Together, we work towards long-term impact and sustainable transformation on a global scale. We will not stop until all of God’s children can fulfill their God-given potential amid thriving communities and just, peaceful societies."

President and CEO of Catholic Relief Services Sean Callahan is bracing for cuts, including mass layoffs and office closures. USAID was the provider of half of the charity's $1.5 billion budget. Callahan sent an email to staff to that effect on February 3. In that email, as reported by the National Catholic Reporter, he said, "We anticipate that we will be a much smaller overall organization by the end of this fiscal year."

Those cuts to staff and budget, Callahan told staff, will be "cross the board, impacting all divisions and departments," the National Catholic Reporter stated.

USAID has come under scrutiny after DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, exposed waste at the agency. While there are legitimate charities and projects that are funded by the agency, a great deal of excess was exposed and in reaction to that discovery, Trump has moved the agency under the auspices of the Department of State and funding has been frozen while things get sorted out.

Catholic Relief Services is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland and works in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean. Some projects have already been terminated due to the coming cuts. The group will hold an "emergency briefing" on February 6 to discuss the necessary changes.

Former director of the Office of International Justice and Peace for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Stephen Colecchi said that the cuts to Catholic Relief Service are insurmountable. "To target this tiny portion of the federal budget in such a haphazard and irresponsible way is going to cost people's lives and livelihoods," he said. "It is not a thoughtful or humane way to go about treating programs that help the poorest of the poor all over the world."