Learn More About the Diocese of Trenton Chapter of CRS!

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas.  We are motivated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to cherish, preserve and uphold the sacredness and dignity of all human life, and foster charity and justice.

Our Chapter covers all four counties in the Diocese of Trenton.  We meet monthly for the National Call on the second Saturday of the month and have a virtual Chapter Meeting on the third Monday of the month.  In between, we work on issues related to legislation that affects financial support for the work of non-government organizations in developing countries, contacting our members of Congress, and spreading the word about CRS within our own parishes.

 For more information about becoming a member, contact Bruno Multari at bmultari@aol.com or Matt Greeley at jovmateo@hotmail.com en espanol.

Bienvenido/bienvenida al grupo defensor de la Diócesis de Trenton de Catholic Relief Services.

Catholic Relief Services lleva a cabo el compromiso de los obispos de los Estados Unidos de ayudar a los pobres y vulnerables en otros países por el mundo. El Evangelio de Jesucristo nos motiva a valorar, preservar y cuidar la santidad y dignidad de toda vida humana, y facilitar la caridad y justicia.

Nuestro grupo cubre los cuatro condados de la Diócesis de Trenton. Nos reunimos cada mes para la Llamada Nacional en el segundo sábado del mes y llevamos a cabo también una llamada virtual de nuestro grupo el tercer lunes cada mes. Entre las reuniones, hacemos lo que podamos para abogar por legislación que afecta el apoyo financiero de ONGs en países de desarrollo, contactando a nuestros congresistas y pasando la voz de CRS en nuestras parroquias.

Para más información sobre cómo agregarse al grupo, contacte a Bruno Multari al bmultari@aol.com o a Mateo Greeley al jovmateo@hotmail.com en español.

Chapter members served empanadas, pupusas, hojaldres, horchata and much more to parishioners at St. James in Pennington while sharing information about CRS.

We Raised over $2,000 for CRS in 2023!

Help us do even more in 2024 by using the Donate button today!   

Take Action:

Email Your U.S. Members of Congress. Our missionary action is to email your U.S. members of Congress, urging them to prioritize addressing the effects of climate change on communities experiencing poverty or vulnerability worldwide. 

Why Is This Action Important?

In his message on World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation 2023, Pope Francis called for a transformation of public policies that will foster a better world for future generations: “Let us raise our voices to halt this injustice towards the poor and towards our children, who will bear the worst effects of climate change.” We need effective solutions that will help our sisters and brothers adapt to a changing climate and strengthen their resilience for the future. U.S. global leadership is essential in this effort to address the impacts of climate change around the world and ensure that communities can achieve sustainable food security and thrive.

Background

Climate change is one of the most pressing global issues today and disproportionately affects communities experiencing poverty or vulnerability. Often these communities lack the basic resources and support to overcome the challenges brought on by severe weather events, making it difficult to recover or rebuild their lives. The World Bank estimates that if we do nothing to address the impacts of climate change today, up to 130 million people will be pushed into poverty by 2030. Many communities are facing increased food insecurity as extreme weather patterns continue to undermine agriculture. More frequent or severe droughts, strong monsoon rain and flooding are causing smallholder farmers to lose their crops—a main source of food and income—and often forcing them to migrate to other areas in search of food and work. This causes conflict over land and resources, resulting in disruptions to local food, livestock and crop production.

CRS Climate Change Adaptation Programming

 Adaptation programs support communities vulnerable to climate change to manage risks, recover, adapt and strengthen their resilience against unexpected or extreme weather events. 

In agricultural-dependent communities, smallholder farmers learn to adapt to the changing climate by applying new skills and techniques, updating infrastructure, gaining access to seeds and other resources, and restoring degraded lands to improve natural resources like soil and water. In Tanzania, a group of young people are using new farming techniques that increase their agricultural yield and enhance their storage practices—which protects food from pests and diseases. They are also implementing irrigation practices that help minimize damage from heavy rain. And in El Salvador, farmers are using watersmart agricultural practices, which focus on developing healthy soil and retaining moisture in the ground, so their crops can grow even during times of drought. 

In disaster-prone areas, communities work in collaboration to prepare for disasters while also strengthen their resilience by diversifying their livelihoods, protecting assets like livestock or water sources and connecting with their government for disaster response and support. In the Philippines, fishermen are planting mangrove trees that help protect their homes and shorelines from severe typhoons or strong currents. And in regions of Bangladesh that are prone to natural disasters—including river erosion—people are making improvements to their housing, raising latrines, protecting their livestock and saving money or grain.

 Access to fresh water is also important. Water sources can get ruined, depleted or contaminated through flooding, drought and other extreme weather events. Communities address these challenges by building sustainable landscapes to protect watersheds, developing water-smart practices, promoting healthy hygiene practices and creating access to quality water supplies and sanitation facilities. In regions of Kenya where prolonged drought is common, communities are updating water systems, building water points and latrine blocks, all of which enhance access to water, sanitation and hygiene. And in Lesotho, communities are conducting land and water restoration activities—such as planting trees to prevent erosion—that protect their rangelands for grazing and farming.  

 © 2024 Catholic Relief Services. All rights reserved. March 2024

Use these ideas to let your Member of Congress know how important this is for all of Creation.

In October 2022, CRS launched our Campaign on Climate Change.

Rising temperatures. Longer and more extreme droughts. More intense rainfall and dangerous storms. As we experience the consequences of climate change in the United States, we recognize that communities around the world—those who have contributed the least to climate change—are being impacted the most.

Across the world, Catholic Relief Services is working shoulder-to-shoulder with communities to survive in the face of climate change. But surviving is not enough. We must work together and act now to protect our planet so our sisters and brothers can thrive.