World Relief (officially, World Relief Corporation of National Association of Evangelicals) is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe.
World Relief Corporation of National Association of Evangelicals | |
| Formation | 1944 |
|---|---|
| Type | International NGO |
| 23-6393344[1] | |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3)[1] |
| Purpose | Relief and Development |
| Headquarters | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 39°17′22″N 76°36′53″W / 39.289555°N 76.614657°W |
| Services | Advocacy, Agriculture, Community Development, Disaster Response, HIV/AIDS Prevention, Immigration Legal Services, Maternal and Child Health, Peace Building, and Refugee Resettlement |
| Myal Greene | |
[Chief People Officer] | Alexis Brown |
| Kevin Sanderson[2] | |
| Dick Oyieko | |
Parent organization | National Association of Evangelicals[3] |
| Subsidiaries | World Relief Global Development LLC (LLC), IMF Hekima Societe Civile (Congo), Turame Community Finance SA (Belarus)[3] |
| Website | worldrelief |
History
editWorld Relief is the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals. The organization was founded in 1944 in response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in war-torn Europe. Members of Park Street Church in Boston raised money to send food and clothing to displaced people throughout Europe. More evangelical churches in America joined this effort, and they formed the War Relief Commission. In the early 1950s, the organization changed its name to World Relief.
The organization has operated in more than 100 countries across the world, responding to some of the world’s greatest crises. In the 1970s, they partnered with the U.S. government to build the national refugee resettlement program.
The organization operates in more than 19 countries worldwide and 22 cities across the U.S., building upon the resources of local churches to address the root causes of suffering and meet each community’s unique needs.
In recent years, World Relief has become most well-known for its work in the global displacement crisis, operating in some of the most highly impacted countries like Ukraine and Sudan, as well as advocating for immigration policy reform, and resettling refugees in the United States. The work of World Relief addresses some of the world’s greatest challenges and causes of mass displacement including natural disasters, extreme poverty, violence and oppression.
World Relief is organized as a corporation, and the National Association of Evangelicals as the sole shareholder.[3] Myal Greene is currently the President/CEO (2021–Present).[4]
Areas of Work
editHumanitarian and Disaster Response
editIn the wake of both natural and manmade disasters, World Relief delivers emergency relief and builds resiliency to help people before, during and after disaster strikes. World Relief works alongside trusted, local responders and churches to provide necessities like food, clean water, shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support and more in the wake of humanitarian crises.
Recently, World Relief has responded to conflicts and disasters in:
- Mozambique
- Haiti
- The Middle East
- Ukraine
- Sudan
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Libya
World Relief’s goal is to meet urgent needs, rebuild communities even after headlines fade, and to reduce future risks by building cultures of resilience through climate-responsive agriculture training, disaster preparedness, peacebuilding and more.
Community Resilience
editFor 80 years, World Relief has partnered with local churches and partners around the world to transform their communities across all areas of life. Their goal is to build a world where families are healthy and safe, communities are resilient and healthy relationships flourish.
World Relief responds to the world's toughest challenges with compassion, advocacy and technical expertise that help local change agents build flourishing communities. Some of the program areas that World Relief operates are:
- Savings
- Agriculture
- Health & Nutrition
- Child Development
- Water & Sanitation
- Gender Equality
In 2014 World Relief launched an innovative new program called the Outreach Group Initiative, which has allowed us to get more people in more places the tools they need to build the thriving communities they’ve longed to create.
Refugee and Immigration Work
editWorld Relief believes mass displacement is the greatest crisis currently facing our world. According to UNHCR, more than 120 million people were displaced by mid-2024.
World Relief is addressing the global displacement crisis with a whole-picture approach. It provides humanitarian assistance at the first point of safety, providing emergency aid to families living in temporary shelters — including clean water, food, tarps, hygiene kits and other essential items.
World Relief also resettles refugees in the United States and provides legal services to asylum seekers and other immigrants. Some of the programs World Relief provides to immigrants and refugees are:
- Trauma Counseling
- Job Training
- English Classes
- Immigration Legal Services
- Help with Housing
World Relief is also a member of the Welcome Corps, a private sponsorship program under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Through Welcome Corps, World Relief mobilizes churches and communities to sponsor refugee families as they adapt to their new life in the U.S.
Advocacy and Public Policy
editIn partnership with the local church, World Relief works to educate the general public on local and federal laws that impact communities, while also informing Christians on how to respond to policy through a biblical lens. The organization also has a team based in D.C. that participates in policy briefs, press conferences and congressional meetings to influence the laws and policies that impact immigrant communities in the U.S. as well as communities in need outside the U.S. World Relief also regularly invites evangelical Christians to join them in their advocacy efforts. Some of their recent advocacy initiatives have been:
- Urging for Humanitarian Action in Sudan
- Assistance in Ukraine & Protection for Ukrainian Displaced Persons
- Support for the Afghan Adjustment Act
- A Just Path to Citizenship for Dreamers
- Support for Asylum Seekers at the Border
Refugee resettlement program
editRefugees resettled by World Relief
edit- Clemantine Wamariya, author of The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story About War and What Comes After[5][6]
Office Locations
editU.S. Offices:
World Relief has multiple offices throughout the United States, providing refugee resettlement and other services in cities like Seattle, Chicago, and Baltimore.
International Offices:
Globally, World Relief operates in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean, partnering with local churches and communities to address crises such as displacement, poverty and health.
Finances
editWorld Relief is committed to prayerful, transparent, efficient and thoughtful stewardship of its financial resources.
As a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), World Relief meets the 7 Standards of Responsible Stewardship, as well as The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance’s 20 Standards for Charity Accountability as a Charity Seal Holder.
World Relief also has been granted GuideStar's Platinum Seal of Transparency, a 3-star rating by Charity Navigator and we have also earned the Excellence in Giving Transparency Certificate.
Leadership
edit- Myal Greene, president/CEO (2021–Present)
- Tim Breene, former chief executive officer
- Scott Arbeiter, former president
- Kevin Sanderson, chief administrative officer, chief financial officer
- Erin Donovan, chairperson
- Matt Gerkens, treasurer
- José Velázquez , secretary[2]
References
edit- ^ a b "World Relief Corp Of National Association Of Evangelicals". Tax Exempt Organization Search Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- ^ a b "Leadership". World Relief. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". World Relief Corporation of National Association of Evangelicals. Internal Revenue Service. September 30, 2018.
- ^ McDade, Interview by Stefani (20 July 2021). "After Challenging Season, World Relief Names New President". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
- ^ "The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya, Elizabeth Weil: 9780451495334 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
- ^ "A moment on 'Oprah' made her a human rights symbol. She wants to be more than that". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-06-07.