CRS Rice Bowl is the official Lenten program of Catholic Relief Services. It was created in 1975 with the goal of entering into solidarity with our brothers and sisters overseas through prayer, fasting, learning, and giving. Many parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago participate in CRS Rice Bowl and through their generosity and support, help to fund CRS in their global initiatives. 75% of CRS Rice Bowl donations support CRS development projects throughout the world; while 25% of CRS Rice Bowl fund local programs and initiatives that animate the values of CRS here in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Criteria & Guidelines:
We primarily fund parishes and organizations* that emulate the mission and vision of Catholic Relief Services on a local level. In addition to the international emergency aid that CRS provides, CRS has numerous initiatives to support vulnerable communities overseas, including projects focused on restorative justice, agricultural development, micro-lending, Fair Trade enterprises and initiatives, direct service assistance, hunger prevention initiatives, refugee relief, maternal health, and other related areas.

*If the recipient group is Catholic and would like to receive future grants, we strongly encourage the organization to promote and participate in CRS Rice Bowl. We also encourage non-Catholic groups to participate in CRS Rice Bowl as well.