About Us
CWS Houston
The CWS Houston office is dedicated to collaborative and sustainable, trauma-responsive programming which supports immigrants, asylum seekers, unaccompanied children and other new arrival, mixed migration populations. At CWS Houston, we welcome people from around the globe into lives of freedom, hope, and opportunity through direct services, advocacy, leadership development and relationship building in our community.
The CWS Story
Church World Service was born in the wake of the devastation of World War II. In 1946, seventeen Christian denominations came together “to do in partnership what none of us could hope to do as well alone.”
In our early days, the CWS family mobilized more than 11 million pounds of food, clothing and medical supplies for war-torn Europe and Asia. In the United States, we began to welcome refugees who were looking to start new lives in safety, resettling more than 100,000 refugees in our first 10 years.
Over the decades, the specifics of our programs have shifted. And the CWS family, leadership, and faith-based identity has also grown and evolved as we remain committed to our founding principle of bringing all voices to the table to build a world where there is enough for all.
Here at CWS, the principles of welcome, collaboration and dignity have spanned the decades and wrapped around the globe. We have seen over and over again that we are stronger when we stand together. Every single person has gifts and skills to help. Welcome to the movement--we’re glad you’re here.
Financials
CWS Houston operates under the governance of CWS Global’s Board of Directors and our finances are included in the CWS Global annual audit.
Church World Service is tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to Church World Service are tax deductible. The CWS financial records are audited by independent auditors in accordance with guidelines established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Mixed Migration FAQ
Every two seconds someone in the world is forced to leave their home and everything they know. With the threat of violence, persecution or disaster knocking on their door, they make the only choice they can to find safety—they run. Mixed migration population movements include refugees, asylum seekers, economic migrants, and other migrants. Unaccompanied minors, environmental migrants, smuggled persons, victims of trafficking and stranded migrants, among others, may also fall in the category of mixed migration.
In recent years fewer and fewer of the 100 million people who are forcibly displaced have access to the protection they need to rebuild their lives. We believe every person has the right to live in safety and dignity. That is why we welcome mixed migration populations with open hearts and helping hands.