Welcome to the 2021-2022 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.
Nutrient-rich fertilizer helps farmers produce higher yields. With the extra food and money, families can afford health care, tuition and other necessities.
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.
Eggs and chickens provide lifesaving protein for families. Chickens are easy to raise in small yards and can generate added income.
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.
A lamb or baby goat can be a daily source of nutritious milk. They help farm families provide their children with well-rounded diets and increase incomes.
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.
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.
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.