A Timeline of CLWR History

1940	North American Lutheran leaders meet to discuss and plan large-scale relief operations addressing needs created by World War II.
1940’s	Clothing, bedding, blankets and food shipped to Europe.
1946	Canadian Lutheran World Relief is founded by Lutheran churches in Canada in response to the refugee and relief needs of post World War II Germany.
	CLWR forms the Canadian Christian Council for the Resettlement of Refugees along with agencies from the Catholic, Mennonite and Baptist churches.
1946-49	30,000 refugees from Germany are resettled in Canada with the help of CLWR.
1947	The Lutheran World Federation is founded. LWF coordinates the work of Lutheran member agencies like CLWR worldwide.
1948-56	20,000 refugees from Romania, Russia, Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia are resettled in Canada with the help of CLWR.
1950’s	Programming expands to include projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
1958	2.28 million pounds of surplus dry skim milk shipped to Germany, Poland and the Near East.
1959	120,000 pounds of surplus dry skim milk shipped to India.
1960	Seven million pounds of foodstuffs valued at $3,068,000 are shipped to refugees in Germany, Austria, Jordan and Hong Kong. Among this is 1.78 million pounds of surplus canned pork.
1960’s	Emphasis is on collecting and shipping clothing and gifts-in-kind. Financial donations used primarily for transportation costs.
	Canadian International Development Agency, a federal agency is created. CLWR begins receiving financial assistance through CIDA.
1970’s and 1980’s	The international development community is viewed less as non political when it becomes generally accepted that respect for human rights, democracy and good governance are prerequisites to development and not the consequence of development.
1970-Present	Refugees from Africa are resettled in Canada.
1976	Refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia begin arriving in Canada.
1976	CLWR begins sponsoring refugees as an official Sponsorship Agreement Holder for the Government of Canada.
1983	Canadian Foodgrains Bank is founded by CLWR and other Christian agencies.
1988	CLWR reaches a record level of donations totalling $6.4 million through individuals and provincial and federal grants. Programs operate in 42 countries.
1989	CLWR begins supporting fair trade, starting with MESH India.
1989	UNICEF introduces the framework for good governance, participatory development, conflict management and conflict resolution became recognized as essential prerequisites to sustainable development.
1991	CLWR opens a Toronto office to coordinate refugee resettlement. (May)
1996, 97 or 98	CLWR embraces alternative trade, allowing Canadians to support global workers who are fairly paid for their products.
2005	CLWR adds coffee to its line of fair trade products.
	The We Care program is launched, featuring yellow cloth bags from India and quilt tags that can be used for kits and quilts donated to CLWR.
2006	CLWR celebrates 60 years of service.
	CLWR’s alternative trade organization is re-launched as Four Corners.
	Four Corners adds tea and chocolate to its line of Fair Trade products.
	Refugees from Burma.
2007	Canadian Foodgrains Bank reaches one million tonnes of food supplied to the world’s hungry. Projects have operated in 74 countries.
	CLWR’s International Volunteer Service is launched, providing Canadians with opportunities to serve abroad.
	Refugees from Africa, Central America, Asia and India, Middle East and Eastern Europe.
2008	Food commodity prices rise dramatically, with wheat, corn, rice and soya roughly doubling in cost. Various causes are suggested, from rising oil prices to climate change affecting crops, rising meat and dairy consumption in a growing Asian middle class, increasing use of grains in biofuel production, and loss of farmland.

 

© 2010 Canadian Lutheran World Relief