CARE is a global confederation of 14 independent international member organizations that work together to fight poverty and provide assistance in humanitarian emergencies. CARE provides development projects in such areas as emergency response, food security, water and sanitation, economic development, climate change, agriculture, education, health, and advocacy. It also focuses on promoting gender equality and women’s rights. CARE is a nongovernmental, nonsectarian, nonpartisan, nonprofit agency. Donors may select the type of aid and the countries to which they wish their donations sent, or they may let CARE decide. CARE originally stood for the Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe but today stands for Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere.
CARE was founded in 1945 by 22 leading American cooperative, labor, relief, and religious organizations. Originally, CARE supplied packages of food and clothing to needy people affected by World War II (1939-1945) in Europe. Around 1946, a CARE office opened in Canada. In the 1970’s, CARE offices began to appear in other countries. Today, CARE works in more than 80 countries.
The CARE confederation is coordinated by the CARE International Secretariat, based in Geneva, Switzerland. CARE also has offices in New York City and in Brussels, Belgium, to work with the United Nations and European institutions, respectively.
