Deutscher Caritasverband (DCV)

The Deutsche Caritasverband, which has its headquarters in Freiburg (in Breisgau), was founded in 1897 by Lorenz Werthmann as the welfare organization of the catholic church in Germany. In comprises 27 diocesan Caritas organizations, with numerous deanery, regional, district and local Caritas organizations, 260 charitable communities run by religious orders and 19 professional associations. More than 380.000 full time staff and many voluntary helpers from the parishes perform the daily work of caring for, attending to, educating and advising well over a million people in Caritas facilities and institutions. The German Caritas Federation also provides help abroad for people in need or when disasters occur anywhere in the world. It is also assisting in building up social structures in Eastern Europe and the countries of the Third World. IN addition to a central further training academy, the caritas also runs over 700 training centres for social service professions.