Caritas International, Catholic humanitarian organization in Freiburg, Germany

Caritas International is a humanitarian organization based in Freiburg that works to support people in need around the world. It operates through a large network of facilities and employs numerous professionals in social services, healthcare, and emergency assistance.

The Caritas Association for Catholic Germany was founded in 1897 and initially worked only within Germany. Its overseas aid began after the famine in Soviet Russia from 1921, when the 61st German Catholic Day launched the collection "Brüder in Not". In 1950 the international network was refounded in Rome as the International Catholic Caritas Conference, later Caritas Internationalis.

The organization is recognized across Germany as a major provider of social assistance and embodies Catholic welfare work in the public consciousness. It collaborates closely with local communities and secular partners to serve those in need, forming a visible part of the social fabric.

Caritas international is headquartered in Freiburg, where its office coordinates aid projects; it is not a site open to casual visitors. Contact is handled through the German Caritas Association and its diocesan offices. In 2021 it ran 641 projects in 77 countries, mostly emergency aid, reconstruction and disaster prevention.

The organization collaborates with independent national Catholic welfare associations in numerous countries to provide disaster relief and humanitarian support. This global partnership network allows it to respond quickly and effectively to crises and emergencies worldwide.