Our History: Relief, Resettlement, Renewal
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Canadian Lutheran World Relief was started in 1946 by Lutheran churches in Canada in response to the refugee and relief needs of post World War II Europe. During these early years, clothing, bedding, blankets and food were shipped to displaced persons in Europe while thousands of refugees were assisted in finding a new home in Canada. Since that time CLWR's history has moved in four directions.
- Emergency Relief
Canadians and members of Lutheran churches have responded on many occasions to natural and human disasters since World War II. Their donations have been both monetary and in the form of material goods such as quilts, kits and grain. In 2004-05 donors contributed more than $1.3 million to the South Asia tsunami emergency. Over the past number of years, CLWR has annually shipped more than $300,000 in material donations to emergency locations. In 1983 CLWR was one of thirteen church-related agencies to form the Canadian Foodgrains Bank through which Canadians have donated thousands of tonnes of grain for overseas food assistance programs.
- Refugee Resettlement
More than 30,000 refugees were resettled by Lutherans after World War II. Since 1979 CLWR has acted as one of the primary refugee sponsorship agreement holders with responsibility for initial processing of refugee applications. Beginning in 1991 CLWR opened two additional Canadian offices in Toronto and Vancouver to handle expanding refugee and immigrant issues and to provide a CLWR presence in these regions. On average, groups working in partnership with CLWR sponsor approximately 200 refugees each year.
- Community Development
In the late 1960s, CLWR began receiving matched funding through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for its international community development programs and projects. Since that time, community development has become the primary focus of CLWR's work within 10 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. Most of CLWR's international development work has been implemented in partnership with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), but in the 1990s CLWR opened its own office in Bolivia to more closely partner with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The goal of community development has been the renewal of people's lives through improved health, education, organization, food security and relationships.
- Alternative Trade
International community development was further supported through the Alternative Trade Program begun in the 1980s. Handmade items and coffee are purchased from overseas community groups and sold through consignment sales and at CLWR's office locations in Canada.
Canadian Lutheran World Relief will continue to make history in its ongoing work among the poor. With the support of Canadians CLWR will act as a trusted agent delivering emergency relief where needed, finding new homes for refugees, and supporting healthier communities and livelihoods that will provide the basics for those struggling against poverty.
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