Featured Post from Catholic Relief Services

Rohingya refugees and monsoon season – emergency aid officials and experts can comment and speak with media from Bangladesh

Jun 13, 2018

1 min

As cyclone and monsoon season begins in Bangladesh, tens of thousands of Rohingya families in refugee camps near the border with Myanmar wait to see if their homes and newly-formed communities will hold. Their shelters cling to the sides of slopes or are situated in flood plains, both precarious places as the camp and surrounding hills have been stripped of trees and vegetation that could prevent deadly flash floods and landslides.


Catholic Relief Services is working with partner agency Caritas Bangladesh on the ground in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh responding to this emergency.


Together, Caritas and CRS have modified thousands of shelters and accompanying infrastructure in preparation for torrential rains and flooding. In addition to retrofitting existing areas of the camp and constructing new sites with proper infrastructure, they are engaging community members in camp upkeep and looking out for vulnerable neighbors.


CRS is the international relief and development org. of the U.S. Catholic Church and officials are on site and available to speak with media. Caroline Brennan, CRS’ emergency communications director and an expert in areas of emergency relief and recovery and refugees will be in Cox’s Bazar and is available for interview June 18-29. Simply click on her icon to arrange an interview over Skype, phone or in person.


Source:


You might also like...

Check out some other posts from Catholic Relief Services

1 min

Sainthood and the legacy of Oscar Romero in El Salvador

If you’re covering the Canonization of Archbishop Oscar Romero, consider Rick Jones, who’s spent his entire career working on poverty and social justice issues in El Salvador. Rick knows first-hand that Romero’s messages are as relevant and necessary as ever. As he puts it: Changing repressive policies, calling on gangs and organized criminal groups to stop the killing, denouncing human rights abuses and caring for the victims is as urgent today as when Romero was archbishop. Based in El Salvador for more than 20 years, Rick works closely with the Church in Latin America on justice issues, including migration, internal displacement and youth violence. He understands well the poverty, violence and political divisions that compelled Romero to defend human rights in the face of death threats and even opposition from his colleagues in the Church.   Oscar Romero was Archbishop of San Salvador until he was brutally assassinated on March 24, 1980 while celebrating Mass in the chapel of the Divine Providence cancer hospital where he lived. More than three decades later he was declared a martyr of the Church, killed out of hatred of the faith, and was beatified on May 23, 2015. Rick is available to speak with media regarding Romero’s legacy and what his sainthood represents for El Salvador and Latin America. To arrange an interview, simply click on his icon and we will be in touch immediately.  

1 min

Real solutions to the world’s refugee crisis

Just last week, the United States announced its lowest refugee cap in history. Meanwhile, for the fifth year in a row, globally, we have reached a record number of displaced people around the world whose displacement will likely last decades. Refugees are increasingly living outside of camps in middle to low-income countries where they struggle to get their footing. At the same time, the communities that host them are burdened by the influx of a needy population and the tension that can arise when aid bypasses local organizations. Recently, a panel hosted by Catholic Relief Services invited key industry leaders to discuss these challenges and how responding agencies, governments and donors can better support the local communities in ways that promote safety, dignity, and lasting solutions. Bill O'Keefe is the Vice President for Government Relations and Advocacy with Catholic Relief Services and oversees the efforts to impact U.S. foreign policy in ways that reduce poverty overseas. Bill is available to speak to media regarding refugees and how those lasting solutions can be found. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:

1 min

Populations at risk – how the whole planet is feeling and affected by climate change

The pounding heat of this summer seems like an anomaly, but according to experts, extreme heat waves may be a new reality. The global temperature is rising and the impact of that is being felt on every continent on earth. From Pakistan, to Japan to Mexico to Paris – the rolling waves of summer heat saw temperatures soar. While for some it’s a matter of comfort, the world’s poor and vulnerable populations are going to face serious risk and consequences. For instance, high heat and erratic rainfall can exacerbate drought, and prolonged drought can lead to severe food insecurity and in some cases, famine. Desperation can lead to conflict and worse. The global threat of climate change is very real and will touch every corner of the planet. There are a lot of questions to be answered and that’s where the experts from Catholic Relief Services can help. Lori Pearson leads Catholic Relief Services’ response to the massive impact climate change is having on global agriculture and especially on the lives of smallholder farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. She also crafts policy and advocacy recommendations to climate change challenges and global hunger. Lori is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on her icon to arrange an interview. Source:

View all posts
Powered by