Church World Service (CWS)

Background

The CWS is a faith-based organization initially founded in 1946 to assist struggling communities within Europe and Asia during the aftermath of World War II by suppling food, clothing, and medical supplies. In addition, it helped relocate refugees into the United States by the 1950’s-1960’s. Later on, the organization changed its focus to more long-term development to communities in need as well as providing assistance for refugees and displaced communities impacted by conflict, climate emergencies, and political situations.  ³

Opposition to Nuclear Energy

Church World Service was one of more than 650 signatories on an August 2022 letter organized by People vs Fossil Fuels and addressed to the “Democratic Leadership” in Congress. The letter was titled: “Opposition to Fossil Fuel Project Approvals and Permitting Reforms Conditioned on the Inflation Reduction Act.” ²

The letter portrayed as “false solutions” carbon sequestration, carbon-free nuclear energy and all sources of energy not approved as “renewable” by the signatories: “Relying only on large scale investments in renewable energy and environmental justice alone will not stave off climate disaster if Congress simultaneously puts its legislative foot on the gas to expand fossil fuel production and false solutions like carbon capture, hydrogen, biomass, biofuels, factory farm gas, and nuclear power.” ²

Nuclear power plants produce no carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions, and as of 2021 accounted for 20 percent of American electricity production—the largest source of zero carbon electricity in the United States. ⁴ An October 2018 proposal from The Nature Conservancy noted that zero-carbon nuclear plants produced 7.8 percent of total world energy output and recommended reducing carbon emissions by increasing nuclear capacity to 33 percent of total world energy output. ⁵

Funding

In 2018, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) named CWS as one of several charitable nonprofit groups referred to as voluntary agencies (or “volags”) that had received federal grants from the U.S Department of State for the purpose of assisting refugees to resettle in the United States. ⁶ Services provided by “volags” through federal grants include housing, food and clothing, English language orientation, and enrollment in benefits and welfare programs. ⁶

Financials

According to its 990 tax forms, in 2016, CWS had received $$93,044,199 in grants and contributions, with over 73% of that total (or $68,448,159) coming from government grants. ⁷ Similarly, in 2017 CWS received $96,723,739 in grants and contributions with $68,448,159 (or almost 71%) coming from government grants. ⁶

According to its 2021 990 form, the organization reported $152,129,784 in revenue, $149,003,159 in expenses, and $51,124,354 in total assets. ⁸

Leadership

Richard L. Santos is the president and CEO of CWS, as of August 2023. Prior to taking the position in 2021, Santos was the president and CEO of faith-based health organization IMA World Health. Prior to this, he worked for CWS initially as a program officer for the organization’s Vietnam branch before eventually becoming Coordinator of Strategic Planning and Evaluation. He is also the board treasurer for Christain health-based network Christian Connections for International Health (CCIH). “Rick Santos, President and CEO.” Church World Service, Accessed August 1, 2023. https://cwsglobal.org/about/leadership/president-and-ceo/[/note]