For many years Catholic Relief Services was known for its implementation of food distribution programs, supported by the U.S. Government, carried out in a variety of medical clinics around the world. Over the past eight years, these center-based programs have begun to be moved out into communities with a new emphasis on developing community capacity to manage its own health development. Priority is also given to facilitating greater community participation in assessing health needs and designing, carrying out and evaluating health programs at the community level. Catholic Relief Services works with local partners in-country, including ministries of health and church and other private partners. Linkages contribute to sustainable programs by making resources available to address underlying causes of health problems in the community.
Linkages also allow for learning and sharing information and experiences with other organizations.