Welcome to the 2017–2018 Gift of Hope Catalog
Catholic Relief Services distributes tons of lifesaving food to people who are desperately hungry as a result of poverty, conflict, famine—and sometimes all three.
But CRS does not just help feed the world during emergencies. Our farming projects help hundreds of thousands of people feed their families, work toward self-sufficiency and steward the Earth’s resources for future generations.
A fish pond provides a steady source of protein, improving nutrition and health for a community. It also irrigates crops to give farms a boost, especially in times of drought.
We know how to stop hunger. We teach farmers sustainable agriculture and support them in accessing markets so they can sell what they harvest. This is how they can move beyond subsistence farming and earn income that will help ensure a healthy future for their families and communities.
Raising bees can be very lucrative and requires little space. With a beehive and a little training, a family can create a successful honey business.
Livestock is often a family’s most valuable asset, providing added stability should crops fail or disaster strike. Fresh milk means a well-balanced diet, and extra income for household needs and school tuition.
When families plant fruit trees, they grow nutrition, income and opportunity. Fruit trees are easy to grow for a family and they create shade, prevent erosion and improve soil health.
A household garden provides important nutritional variety to poor families. Catholic Relief Services teaches families how to build keyhole gardens, raised-bed gardens that are specially designed to maintain nutrient-rich soil and stay productive during winter months. They are also easy to tend, even for people with limited mobility.
A lamb or kid (baby goat) can be a daily source of nutritious milk. They help farm families provide their children with well-rounded diets and increase incomes.
Pigs are perfect for helping farmers earn more. Rather than requiring pasture, pigs can live in small pens and eat a wide variety of foods.
A stocked fish pond means that a high-protein dinner is just a catch away. Catholic Relief Services helps families stock ponds that feed their families—even when crops fail. Fish also provide another source of income for farmers and better nutrition for the entire community.
Quality seeds become quality crops that resist drought, pests and disease. Seeds fight hunger through the promise of vital nutrition, good health and lasting food security.
Eggs and chickens provide lifesaving protein for families. Chickens are easy to raise in small yards and can generate added income.
Rabbits make more than cuddly pets. The rabbits produce organic manure for home gardens or coffee fields, which improves crop production. Small-scale coffee farmers can receive vouchers at livestock fairs to buy a small animal.
Nutrient-rich fertilizer helps farmers produce higher yields. With the extra food and money, families can afford health care, tuition and other necessities.
A Gift of Hope represents an inspirational way for you to make a life-changing difference for families and communities around the world. Simply choose a gift that will help save, protect and transform the lives of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters–and then, choose a special card to personalize and let your loved one know you’ve given a Gift of Hope in their name.
All items in the gift catalog are actual goods and services provided to people CRS serves overseas. The gifts described in this catalog are symbolic of the good your donation will do for children, women and men in more than 100 countries.
Yes, once you check out, you can add a special note for your loved one to the ecard or printed card of your choosing.
You can read more about us at our home page, read about our programs here or follow us on Facebook. You can also sign-up to receive email updates, inspiring stories and emergency alerts.
Yes, all donations to CRS are tax-deductible and will be included in your year-end tax receipt.
Gift amounts represent averages. Actual costs may vary based on local economies.
All items in the gift catalog are actual goods and services provided to the people CRS serves overseas. The gifts described in this catalog are symbolic of the good your donation will do for children, women and men in more than 100 countries.