Church World Service
Church World Service (CWS) is the relief, development and refugee assistance ministry of the thirty-five Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations that make up the National Council of Churches USA. Working in partnership with indigenous organizations in more than eighty countries, CWS works worldwide to meet human needs and foster self-reliance. It was founded in 1946.
Within the United States, the Church World Service assists communities in responding to disasters; resettles refugees; promotes national and international policies it sees as fair; provides educational resources; and offers opportunities to join a people-to-people network of local and global caring through participation in various projects.
The largest fund-raising events for Church World Service are CROP Walks. The first CROP Walk was in the 1960s. Now these walks are held in more than 2,000 communities each year all around the United States. One thing that is unique about CROP Walks is that Church World Service doesn't receive all of the money raised. Up to 25% of the money donated is given to local hunger fighting agencies. Each person who sponsors a walker can specify whether Church World Service or another global, hunger fighting agency will receive the other 75% of their donation. This is truly a Walk for the cause - not just for Church World Service.
Participating churches and organizations
- African Methodist Episcopal Church
- African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
- Alliance of Baptists
- American Baptist Churches USA
- Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (including Diocese of California)
- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
- Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
- Church of the Brethren
- Coptic Orthodox Church in North America
- Episcopal Church in the United States of America
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
- Friends United Meeting
- Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
- Hungarian Reformed Church in America
- International Council of Community Churches
- Korean Presbyterian Church in America
- Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
- Mar Thoma Church
- Moravian Church in America
- National Baptist Convention of America, Inc.
- National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
- National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
- Orthodox Church in America
- Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A.
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friend
- Polish National Catholic Church of America
- Presbyterian Church (USA)
- Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
- Reformed Church in America
- Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada
- The Swedenborgian Church
- Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch
- Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
- United Church of Christ
- United Methodist Church
List of Local Resettlement Affiliates
- Lutheran Social Ministry of the Southwest
- Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles
- Opening Doors, Inc. Center for New Americans
- Ecumenical Refugee Services
- Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services
- Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta
- Interfaith Refugee and Immigration Services
- Exodus Refugee Immigration
- Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Inc.
- Refugee Immigration Ministry
- Programs Assisting Refugee Acculturation
- Lutheran Refugee Services
- Heartland Refugee Resettlement, Inc.
- Interfaith Refugee Resettlement Program
- Journey's End Refugee Services
- Catholic Family Center, Refugee Resettlement Program
- Interfaith Works of Central New York, Inc.
- Lutheran Family Services in the Carolinas
- Community Refugee and Immigration Services
- Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees
- Bridge Refugee Services
- Refugee Services of Texas
- Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston
- Virginia Council of Churches Refugee Resettlement Program
- Interchurch Refugee Ministries