Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 22, 2025 / 18:13 pm (CNA).
As part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape American foreign aid, his administration is ending federal funds for nearly a dozen projects operated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to provide free school meals to children internationally.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ended funding for 11 of the 13 projects CRS operates through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, which was created with bipartisan support in the early 2000s. The funds support international school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects with American agriculture commodities, according to the USDA.
According to CRS, the termination of these funds will affect more than 780,000 school-aged children in 11 countries. The funding will end this July.
“This decision isn’t just a policy shift — it’s a life-altering blow to hundreds of thousands of children who rely on these meals to stay healthy, stay in school, and stay hopeful about their future,” CRS President and CEO Sean Callahan said in a statement.
CRS contends that, in some impoverished countries, this program provides children with their only reliable meal daily. In a news release, CRS also maintained that the programs strengthen local communities and that terminating these contracts will threaten food security and economic stability in the affected nations.
“Ending a program that provides a child’s only meal is deeply troubling and goes against our values as a nation and as people of faith,” Callahan said. “We have a moral responsibility to ensure vulnerable children have access to the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and build a better future.”
A spokesperson for the USDA confirmed the termination of these funds and told CNA the decision was part of an effort to ensure the programs “align with the president’s agenda to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”
“We look forward to ensuring USDA foreign aid is spent implementing existing projects as well as any new projects that continue to put American agriculture at the forefront and align with the president’s agenda,” the spokesperson said.
According to the spokesperson, the USDA ended 17 McGovern-Dole program agreements in total, 11 of which were operated by CRS. The USDA continues to fund 30 projects through that program, two of which CRS operates. The remaining programs serve 22 countries.
Additionally, the spokesperson said the USDA ended funding for 27 Food for Progress program agreements that were also “not in alignment with the foreign assistance objectives of the Trump administration.” The other 14 Food for Progress agreements, which serve 17 countries, will still be funded.
“It is important to note that all U.S. agricultural producers have received payment for commodities for which invoices have been received,” the spokesperson said. “Those projects which were terminated received a 30-day notification. During this time partners are required to deliver any commodity to its final destination, in accordance with the agreement, to ensure no product goes to waste.”
Callahan, alternatively, said the success of its programs is “undeniable,” adding that he has seen firsthand “the remarkable contributions of the community and local government” in one of the countries, Honduras.
“I spoke with young children who endure nearly two-hour walks to school each day — driven by the hope of receiving both a meal and an education,” he said. “It is un-American to stand by and not provide assistance while hunger robs children of their chance to learn and thrive.”
Callahan requested that the administration “reconsider its decision and restore funding for these life-affirming programs,” saying a reversal would “ensure children continue to have access to daily meals in school and invest in their future, their health, and their ability to break the cycle of poverty.”
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CEO and President of CRS, Sean Callahan, earns a salary between five and six hundred thousand dollars/year.
LifeSite News in 2/25 published stats from Lepanto Institute: More than 99% of 2024 political donations from CRS employees went to politicians supporting abortion.
Then not only is the Administration correct in its decisions — the Church itself must investigate CRS and correct practices which are scandalous and sinful. A Christian organization cannot have real success when its motives are tainted by non-Christian ideas.
Catholic Relief Services ought to only use their own money to dispense charity. To rely on Federal dollars for their charity work is to use other people’s money without their permission. Not only is that stealing but it is not charity either. CRS needs to use only money donated directly to them by people who wish to support their work.
““This decision isn’t just a policy shift — it’s a life-altering blow to hundreds of thousands of children who rely on these meals to stay healthy, stay in school, and stay hopeful about their future,” CRS President and CEO Sean Callahan said in a statement”
Children in other countries should not be “relying” on American funding for basic needs such as food. That is the responsibility first, of their parents, and second, of their own national governments. Cutting funding, regardless of how allegedly painful that might be, is an appropriate and necessary step for our own fiscal health. Shifting the responsibility for child rearing back on parents and their own governments is not a bad thing.
CRS is NOT an agency of the Federal government. If it is and is funded by the Feds, it CANNOT be considered Catholic.