Media CenterThis Easter, Your Lenten Alms Can Bring You Closer to Jesus and the World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Brittany Wichtendahl
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
757-748-5003
 

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, April 7, 2023 – With the arrival of Easter comes the time for Catholics around the United States to turn in their Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowls and watch their Lenten alms make a difference in the lives of their global family.

“This Lent, the small sacrifices Catholics and others of goodwill have made can – collectively – have a major impact on our sisters and brothers feeling the effects of hunger,” said Beth Martin, CRS’ director of Formation and Mobilization.

In the past year, there has been increase in global hunger due to ongoing conflicts, climate change impacts, and lasting COVID-19 economic effects. Donations from CRS Rice Bowl go directly toward CRS programming dedicated to ending hunger and poverty.

While 75% of CRS Rice Bowl donations go overseas, 25% of the funds stay in the diocese where they are collected. As families in the U.S. grapple with increases in the cost of living, inflation, and rising interest rates, supporting hunger alleviation programs is of vital importance.

“This is a program that not only allows people to feel connected to God, and to those overseas, but also to people in their home community who might be feeling the effects of hunger,” Martin said. “It reminds us that we are one human family.”

In past years, schools and parishes participating in CRS Rice Bowl have held in-person events to collect donations saved during Lent. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, many parishes established online community giving pages and several more are actively developing new donation pages. CRS Rice Bowl participants are encouraged to reach out to their local parishes to determine whether in-person collections will occur, or if they should donate via a new community giving page online.

Direct donations to CRS are always accepted online, by phone or mail.

Online:

• English: http://crsricebowl.org/give
• Spanish: http://crsplatodearroz.org/donar

By Phone:

• Call 877-435-7277 between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and tell the operator that the gift is for CRS Rice Bowl.

By Mail:

• Please write “CRS Rice Bowl” on the memo line of your check and mail it to:

Catholic Relief Services
Attn: CRS Rice Bowl
P.O. Box 5200
Harlan, IA 51593-0700
 

“As missionary disciples, we are called to step beyond our walls to serve people in need,” Martin said. “CRS Rice Bowl allows us to do that. By putting our faith into action, we’re responding to the needs of our global family – because that’s what families do. They support one another through difficult times.”

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org and follow Catholic Relief Services on social media in English at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube; and in Spanish at: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Online Tools:
CRS Online Press Room: www.crs.org/press-room