Pandemic and Protest: Faith-Based Actions in a Time of Crises

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in early 2020, faith-based groups realized they were facing a double crisis: economic devastation from the pandemic itself, and underlying changes in America’s religious landscape that were already chipping away at the faith community’s care for the needy. At the same time, protests following the murder of George Floyd exposed anew the many services minority communities do not receive.

Religion News Service (RNS) developed stories that highlight these crises and show ways forward for faith-based groups that serve the most vulnerable. These stories reflect solutions-oriented reporting—highlighting what is working, gaps in services, new religious and ethnic groups providing care, and innovative responses to needs.

Stories

December 21, 2020 | The Washington Post, Religion News Service

Catholic Relief Services Looks to Expand Its Base

Bob Smietana

Aware of its aging donor base and the changing demographics of Catholics, CRS has sought to expand its base of support.

November 23, 2020 | The Washington Post, Religion News Service

Faith Groups Are Vital to the Social Safety Net. But Volunteers They Rely on Are Aging and Their Denominations Are Shrinking.

Bob Smietana

The decline in religious affiliation affects not just houses of worship but also religious nonprofits such as the St. Mary’s Legacy Clinic, a mobile rural health clinic.

November 09, 2020 | Religion News Service, The Washington Post

Muslim Communities in the U.S. Are Becoming More Involved in Disaster Relief Projects

Aysha Khan

“Even though we’re a small percentage of the population, we have to be out here doing this work, which goes to the core of Islam,” said Imam Rafiq Mahdi.

October 26, 2020 | Religion News Service, The Washington Post

As Organized Religion Shrinks, Faith-Based Charities Worry About the Future

Bob Smietana

Churches and other religious groups tutor kids, feed hungry people, shelter the homeless, and do a great deal of good, often under the radar. As religious groups shrink, those services could be lost.