This post is sponsored by CARE, but my passion and support for making the world a better place for everyone is all my own.
We are all familiar with the term “care package,” but do you know where it originates from?
CARE.org was founded in 1945 after the end of World War II. 22 American organizations and thousands of people, including President Harry S. Truman, banded together to send lifesaving packages to starving survivors of the war in Europe. On May 11, 1946, the first 20,000 CARE packages arrived at the battered port of Le Havre, France, delivering supplies and a respite to the war-torn area and the vulnerable people who called it home.
Since then, CARE has grown to become a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to fighting global poverty with a commitment to empowering women and girls.
I have been committed to social justice issues for as long as I can remember, and have always wished to live in a world that is equal, fair, compassionate, free from pride and greed, and with respect for culture and the melting pot of traditions all people have. I have been called an idealist for my legitimate wondering as to how there could possibly be people in this world who don’t prioritize peace and equality, and I have been called naive. All I can say is that if I am still naive about the world around me at 28, then I hope I never lose that.
I think more people would realize that radical change could happen around the world if they knew how — how it happened, how they could make it happen, how it is happening. Luckily, CARE Knows How.
CARE facilitates lasting change for people all over the world by thinking outside of the box and within the constraints the people and communities with whom they are working. They have a proven track record for coming up with strategies that really work to solve problems and change lives. They do this by:
- Strengthening the capacity for self-help
- Providing economic opportunity
- Delivering relief in emergencies
- Influencing policy decisions at all levels
- Addressing discrimination in all its forms
CARE has proven that it is possible to lift the world’s poorest people out of extreme poverty. Unlike what many people here in the U.S. are told and tend to believe about the poor, people living in poverty do not want handouts, they need a helping hand. These are human beings who want to provide for themselves, but are unable to start. CARE’s innovative work has given families and entire communities back their dignity.
In Ecuador, they implemented a system that saves people time and eliminates hard labor by harvesting water for drinking and washing from fog. Through this system, people are able to collect up to 200 liters of water that is filtered and safe for home use.
In Malawi, the CARE Village Savings and Loan Association was established to give people micro-loans so that they could start their own businesses and become self-sufficient. One woman, Biti Rose, joined the association and was given a $2 loan to purchase ingredients she needed to make donuts. Her donuts become wildly popular, earning her several dollars a day so that she and her husband could provide for their family, reinvest their profits into their children’s educations, and care for their farm. CARE literally found a way for this family to beat poverty with donuts. How amazing is that?!
In December 2014, the Water for the World Act was passed. This piece of legislation improves access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene for 750 million people around the world who lack access to safe drinking water and the 2.5 billion without access to adequate toilets. The Water for the World Act was informed and advocated for by CARE, with their citizen advocates playing a critical role in its passing after the bill confronted several barriers to passage.
CARE is helping heal and empower the world through their tireless work — work that spans so many different areas of life and wellness in immeasurable ways. Visit CARE.org to learn more about what they do to fight poverty and injustice while empowering the world, and please consider making a donation to their cause if you can.
I think it’s because we don’t know what to do, are overwhelmed or think we can’t make a difference that we get complacent. But if we all go ahead and do something, we will create an impact! I’m so glad CARE exists!
I had no idea where the term care package came from, what a great organization!
What an amazing organization! The adage of teaching a man to fish is really true here. It sounds like Care is doing a great job enabling people with the tools they need to be successful.
CARE is an amazing organization and charity. I have only heard great things about them.
It sounds like CARE is an amazing organization. I love what they are doing to help!
This sounds like a great organization. I love knowing that if I donate money that it actually goes to help others in need.
Thank you for this informative blog post. I had not heard of CARE prior to reading your blog. What an amazing organization.
Wow very informative. Sounds like a great organization.
I love all the great work they do. Worthy cause.
What a beautiful organization, it sounds like they are truly helping!
This is such an amazing charity! They are doing so much!
Empowering people to be able to make their own money is so much more useful than so many other types of well-meaning help could be. Feed a man a fish… versus teaching him to fish, right? 🙂
Thanks for sharing CARE’s wonderful history. We need more of organizations like this in the world. 🙂
CARE sounds like a great organization. I think they are on the right track on how to get poverty under control. I think we all can make a big difference in this world by helping each other by teaching and learning from what works.
I love CARE. Such a great charity and for such a great cause. I love it.
That’s wonderful that you’ve had a lifetime of commitment with no end in sight, to helping others! I go through spurts, but I’ve been doing things on and off my whole life too. 🙂 This program sounds amazing.
This sounds like an amazing program. I love hearing about programs that help to make a difference.
CARE is an amazing organization. There’s no reason we still have people starving and without clean water in this world… it’s terrible but there are many great people and organizations out there working hard to end this!
Sounds like a great organization. I didn’t realize that “care package” came from here. That’s awesome. I love learning things like this.
what a great organization! They do such amazing things and help so many! love it
I love how they’re helping empower people!
This sounds like an amazing organization that helps so many people in need. Kudos to CARE for there work. Thanks for sharing. Any little bit helps and it all adds up.
I love that you have brought this to light. It’s hard for us to imagine anyone living a life different than how we do. And I love that we can help others receive the things they need.