Press Center

Resources for Journalists

Salesian Missions is headquartered in New Rochelle, NY, and is part of the Don Bosco Network—a worldwide federation of Salesian NGOs. The mission of the U.S.-based nonprofit Catholic organization is to raise funds for international programs that serve youth and families in poor communities around the globe. The Salesian missionaries are made up of priests, brothers and sisters, as well as laypeople—all dedicated to caring for poor children throughout the world in more than 130 countries and helping young people become self-sufficient by learning a trade that will help them gain employment. To date, more than 3 million youth have received services funded by Salesian Missions. These services and programs are provided to children regardless of race or religion. Our Press Center is a key source of information for journalists, donors, organizational partners, funders and the public. In addition to the releases below, photographs and video from the field can be made available to journalists and partners upon request.

Salesian Missions also operates MissionNewswire.org, as a service to the public and the news media. The purpose is to provide information and insight about Salesian programs around the globe and news related to global humanitarian issues. News from and about Salesian Missions can also be found on ReliefWeb, the leading humanitarian information source on global crises and disasters operated by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

U.S. Media Representative:
Laura Perillo
908-406-3413
 [email protected]
 Twitter: @SM_Newsdesk

To request interviews or ask to be included on our media distribution list, please contact Laura Perillo. Photos and b-roll are also available upon request. We may also able to assist journalists working for U.S. media outlets who are working abroad or planning trips to cover humanitarian-related news stories.

In addition to the press releases provided here, country-specific information is available in the Where We Work section of this website. Additional information is available to the media upon request.

WORLD WATER DAY: Salesian Missions Highlights Programs Providing Clean Water for Healthy Living and Agriculture

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Dec. 1, 2012) From safe drinking water and healthy sanitation to agriculture, water is essential for life. Six to 8 million people die annually from the consequences of disasters and water-related diseases, according to the United Nations. Furthermore, 783 million people do not have access to clean water and almost 2.5 billion…

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INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ERADICATION OF POVERTY: Salesian Missions Reports on Programs that Fight Extreme Poverty

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Oct. 17, 2012) To mark the 20th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Salesian Missions is proud to report on some of its programs around the globe that fight extreme poverty by providing hope and opportunity. The day is recognized globally with a focus on promoting the awareness of and the…

WORLD FOOD DAY: Salesian Missions Highlights Programs Around the Globe that Invest in Agriculture for Food Security

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Oct. 16, 2012) Each year, Oct. 16, marks the observance of United Nations World Food Day across the globe. Today, nearly 870 million people around the world are chronically undernourished, or one in eight individuals worldwide, according to a new report published by the United Nations. World Food Day brings attention to…

Numana Donation Feeds 1,400 through Salesian Programs in Sierra Leone

NEW ROCHELLE, NY & FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE (Oct. 16, 2012) More than 1,400 youth and adults participating in eight different Salesian-run programs in Sierra Leone have better access to nutrition thanks to a recent donation of fortified rice-meals from Numana. The Salesians of Don Bosco in Sierra Leone have used the donation to provide a…

Donations from Salesian Missions Partners Help Orphans, Needy Families in Sri Lanka

NEW ROCHELLE, NY & NEGOMBO, SRI LANKA (Oct. 10, 2012) Two recent shipments of goods are making a major impact on the lives of the most vulnerable youth and their families in communities in Sri Lanka. Recently, a shipment of 250 baby strollers made its way to four Salesian-run sites that serve 811 children in…

DAY OF THE GIRL: Salesian Missions Highlights Programs around the Globe that Empower Girls through Education, Opportunity

  NEW ROCHELLE, NY (Oct. 11, 2012) The first-ever International Day of the Girl Child was recognized on Oct. 11, 2012. Established to promote equal treatment and opportunities for girls, the International Day is an acknowledgment by the world community that there is a disparity in the way the rights of girls and boys are…

HAITI: On World Teachers’ Day, Salesian Missions Remembers Bright Youth Killed in Haiti Earthquake While in Class Studying to Become Teachers

  NEW ROCHELLE, NY & PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (Oct. 5, 2012) As the world marks World Teachers’ Day this Friday, Oct. 5, Salesian Missions remembers the teachers-in-training that were killed when a devastating earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010. Nothing could have prepared the Salesians—or the Haitian people—for the massive devastation and heartbreaking loss that…

Salesian Missions Office for International Programs Travels to Ecuador for State Department Site Visit

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (June 22, 2012) – Edson Timana, program officer with the Salesian Missions Office for International Programs, recently returned from a visit to Ecuador to oversee a site visit from officials from Population, Refugee, and Migration, a department within the Department of State. Timana visited several Salesian-run sites in anticipation of the Department…

EL SALVADOR: Salesian University Continues Training in Orthopedics in Support of Efforts in Haiti

SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR  & PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (July 11, 2012) The Salesian-run Don Bosco University in El Salvador plans to train 32 new professionals in various forms of prosthetic and orthotics, artificial limbs and other medical support and will place them in rehabilitation centers in Haiti. As ongoing support for those injured in the Haiti…

MALI: Salesians Assist Displaced Children & Families as Political Instability Continues

BAMAKO, MALI (July 19, 2012) Political instability and fears of chaos in Mali have driven more than 300,000 people from their homes since fighting erupted in the north between a Tuareg rebel movement and Malian government forces. There has been panic that rebel groups will use the region as a platform for drugs and arms…