History
CWS in the DC Region
CWS has had a Policy office and staff presence on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC since 1975, which has supported both national and international policies and development. Throughout the decades, CWS has consistently worked with and provided leadership in close partnerships with multiple coalitions and agencies.
In February of 2023, CWS opened its first CWS Programs Office in Washington, DC to respond to needs of unaccompanied children, and welcome refugees and migrants in the DC, Maryland and Virgina area. At this time, the Programs Office shares space on Capitol Hill together with the CWS Policy & Advocacy team, with CWS CEO, Rick Santos, and with other CWS staff partners.
Our Programs
Responding to the growing influx of refugees and migrants in DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland, CWS joins a national network of providers serving unaccompanied children through the “Home Study Post Release Services” program.
CWS Washington, DC also actively collaborates with the Office of Refugee Resettlement and other faith-based organizations, legal service providers, and resettlement partners to offer support to Afghan, Ukrainian, and other new arrival populations.
Learn More About CWS
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. CWS became decentralized to reach impacted populations locally, efficiently and effectively. CWS currently has over 23 refugee and immigration offices spread across 17 different states.