CARE (relief Agency)

CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere) is a major international humanitarian agency delivering broad-spectrum emergency relief and long-term international development projects. Founded in 1945, CARE is nonsectarian, non-partisan, and non-governmental. It is one of the largest and oldest humanitarian aid organizations focused on fighting global poverty. In 2011, CARE reported working in 84 countries, supporting 1015 poverty-fighting projects, and reaching over 122 million people.

CARE's programmes in the developing world address a broad range of topics including emergency response, food security, water and sanitation, economic development, climate change, agriculture, education, and health. CARE also advocates at the local, national, and international levels for policy change and the rights of poor people. Within each of these areas, CARE focuses particularly on empowering and meeting the needs of women and on promoting gender equality.

CARE International is a confederation of twelve CARE National Members and two Affiliate Members, each of which is registered as an autonomous non-profit non-governmental organization in the country. The twelve CARE National Members are: CARE Australia, CARE Canada, CARE Danmark, CARE Deutschland-Luxembourg, CARE France, CARE International Japan, CARE Nederland, CARE Norge, CARE Österreich, Raks Thai Foundation (CARE Thailand), CARE International UK, and CARE USA. The two CARE Affiliate Members are CARE India and CARE Peru. Programs in developing countries are usually managed by a Country Office, but CARE also supports projects and may respond to emergencies in some countries where they do not maintain a full Country Office.