Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) is one of the largest private international humanitarian organizations in the world, with programmes in over 72 countries. World-wide staffing exceeds 12,000, most of whom come from the nation they assist. The group is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

CARE (originally Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe), was founded in 1945 to provide relief to survivors of World War II. The relief came in CARE Packages, which were U.S. Army surplus 10-in-1 food parcels left over from the planned U.S. invasion of Japan. The service let Americans send the packages to friends and families in Europe. Each CARE Package cost $10 and was guaranteed to reach its addressee within four months.

The CARE web site says about its name that "[w]hen CARE began in 1945, the name stood for 'Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe'. As CARE's activities broadened, this was changed to the 'Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere'. Today the name is used in its own right rather than as an acronym."

Margaret Hassan, director of CARE's Iraq division, was kidnapped by Iraqi insurgents on October 19, 2004. [1] She was later reported to be killed by her captors.

CARE is currently involved in a rehabilitation program for the December 2004 tsunami affected people in South East Asia.

Related topics

CARE is an Non-governmental organization and a Private voluntary organization.

External link

• CARE global homepage
• Video of U.S. President Truman commending CARE