Core Programs

Praying, learning, acting and giving are at the heart of the CRS Core Programs in the United States. The Catholic Relief Services’ Core Programs provide a variety of adaptable resources for schools to engage with their brothers and sisters overseas.

CRS Rice Bowl

CRS Rice Bowl helps schools enrich the Lenten experience for both individuals and families through the seasonal pillars of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Celebrate the Lenten season with our liturgical resources, prayers and special blessings, and engage students and their families with materials designed especially for high school aged young people.
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CRS FoodFast

CRS FoodFast is CRS’ hunger awareness experience for Catholic youth. Through fasting, art, video, social media, reflection, games, and prayer, youth come face to face with the reality of global hunger. Participants discover how Catholic Relief Services supports people that are hungry in acquiring food and gaining long-term food security and are challenged as disciples of Jesus to discover their roles in eliminating hunger.
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CRS Ethical Trade

The CRS Ethical Trade program helps young people to live their faith through reflection, education and action. The program offers turn-key fair trade sales and fundraisers for high school as well as hundreds of ethically produced products from nearly 20 partners. Prayers, faith formation activities, and stories help students to connect with the people behind the products.
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Advocacy

Want to use your voice to speak for the voiceless to your legislators? Consider advocacy as an initiative for your school! Utilizing the advocacy toolkit, your entire school community can work together to prevent poverty. Join Catholics Confront Global Poverty to learn more about ways you can advocate to defend the lives and dignity of our brothers and sisters living in poverty throughout the world. Your school can make a difference!
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Global Emergency Response

CRS approaches its emergency response programming through a framework of saving lives, supporting livelihoods and strengthening civil society. Your school can engage in the global emergency response efforts of CRS through community wide Prayer, Learning, Action and Giving. To stay updated on the latest information on disaster response, receive timely analysis by CRS experts, and reports on the agency’s efforts to help create a more just and peaceful world register for the CRS newswire.
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