The History of the CARE Package
CARE was founded in 1945, when 22 American organizations came together to rush lifesaving CARE Packages to World War II survivors. Thousands of Americans, including President Harry S. Truman, contributed to the effort. On May 11, 1946, the first 15,000 packages reached the battered port of Le Havre, France.
CARE Packages today take many forms, from emergency kits to water pumps to schools, all thanks to our donors and partners.