Caritas was created in 1956 by the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB). Initially, it was tasked to articulate all Catholic social works and take over the distribution of the US Food Program subsidized by the US government as one of the axes of a larger action called the Alliance for Progress Program implemented after World War II .

Caritas seeks to encourage the construction of spaces for participatory democracy, based on collective and organizational processes, promoting the protagonism of groups and communities, as well as strengthening initiatives in networks of articulation, forum and advocacy, of inclusion and social transformation.

All these actions always aim at one goal: to transform! Caritas Brasileira is change. They want people who are excluded, in the social, political and economic fields, to be able to write their story and, at the same time, be their main actors and actresses.

Caritas, which takes on its own name and mission its own love, is motivated in daily action to live the beautiful challenge of translating this love out of solidarity with the most impoverished people.