Caritas

Caritas Internationalis was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Vatican City. As the umbrella body for national Caritas organizations within the Catholic Church, it coordinates international responses, sets standards, and advocates on humanitarian and development issues. At country level, National Caritas organizations operate as independent legal entities but collaborate through the Caritas federation for joint responses.

Caritas has been one of the most extensive humanitarian responders in Ukraine, leveraging Caritas Ukraine’s pre-existing infrastructure of diocesan and parish networks across the country. Since 2022, Caritas Ukraine and international Caritas member organizations have provided emergency shelter, food, NFI, health services, MHPSS, protection, and cash assistance to hundreds of thousands of displaced and conflict-affected persons. Caritas Germany (Caritas Deutschland) — a distinct organization from CARE — is among the largest international Caritas contributors to the Ukraine response.

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic charitable organizations working in approximately 200 countries to advance human dignity and integral human development. Caritas provides emergency relief, development programmes, and advocacy, operating through National Caritas member organizations including Caritas Ukraine.

Ukraine Commitment

Caritas Internationalis and its member organizations — including Caritas Ukraine, Caritas Germany (Caritas Deutschland), and Caritas Poland — have been among the largest faith-based humanitarian responders in Ukraine since 2022, providing health, shelter, food, MHPSS, and protection assistance through a national network of over 200 service points.