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.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (January 12, 2011) – A year after the earthquake damaged nearly all of its schools and buildings in the Port-au-Prince area, Salesian Missions has launched a news site that focuses on "progress," while so much media attention is being paid to the opposite. The purpose of ProgressInHaiti.org is to provide information and…
Humanitarian Agency Partnerships Key to Delivering Aid in Post-Quake Haiti
January 5, 2012
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (January 11, 2011) – On Jan. 12, 2010, humanitarian organizations with works in Haiti held their breath as the news started to come in. "It was almost eerie calm," says Abby Theobald, food relief coordinator, with Feed My Starving Children. "Along with the whole world, we watched with disbelief as we heard what…
Salesian University Network Creates Connection to Haiti’s Future
November 17, 2011
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (January 10, 2011) – For university students in Haiti, access to technology is a way to stay connected to studies, social networks—and the opportunity to make a difference in their country’s future. Through the new Salesian University Network, hundreds of university students who have been unable to return to school following the Jan.…
Opportunity Grows at Agricultural School in Haiti
November 17, 2011
CAP-HAITIEN, Haiti (January 31, 2011) – Wide smiles break out on the faces of students crouching in the fields as they examine the crops. They know the vegetables they hold in their hands will provide their communities and country with a quality food source, as well as increase their opportunities to obtain meaningful skills to…
REBUILDING HAITI: Salesian Supply Warehouse Construction Complete, All New Buildings to Meet New Safety Measures
November 17, 2011
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (March 9, 2011) – The opening of the new Salesian warehouse in Haiti was cause for celebration for two reasons – not only will it provide new efficiencies for ongoing rebuilding efforts but it is also designed according to Caribbean building standards to withstand future natural disasters. Quality construction standards are a concern…
WORLD WATER DAY: Customized Solutions Required to Improve Water Supply in Developing Countries
November 17, 2011
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (March 22, 2011) – According to UNICEF, almost 50 percent of the developing world’s population – 2.5 billion people – lack improved sanitation facilities, and more than 884 million people still use unsafe drinking water sources. Inadequate access to safe water and sanitation services, coupled with poor hygiene practices, kills and sickens…
South Africa: Michelle Obama Reaches Out to Youth, Highlights Importance of Leadership for Country’s Future
November 17, 2011
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (June 24, 2011) – U.S. first lady Michelle Obama’s visit to South Africa has brought the world’s attention to a country where a significant percentage of the population must struggle to survive on less than $1 a day, according to the United Nations. During her week-long goodwill tour through South Africa,…
South Sudan: New Nation Formed, Humbling Realities Remain for Aid Agencies Including Salesian Missions
November 17, 2011
JUBA, South Sudan (July 13, 2011) – In a year that has been the most violent since the beginning of a peace treaty in 2005 – underscored with high levels of corruption and human rights violations – the people of South Sudan had something to celebrate as their country became Africa’s 54th country and the…
Salesian Missions Responds to Crisis in Horn of Africa, Calls on Public to Make Donations
November 17, 2011
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (August 19, 2011) – An already difficult situation has become a desperate one in the Horn of Africa where aid agencies like Salesian Missions were already hard at work helping the poor—long before the latest drought and famine that have brought the world's attention to the region once again. "Entire communities have…
HORN OF AFRICA: More than 300,000 Children at “Risk of Dying” from Malnutrition, Disease
November 17, 2011
ABABA, Ethiopia (August 22, 2011) – The United Nations reports that more than 300,000 children in the Horn of Africa are severely malnourished and “at risk of dying.” The region, also referred to as Northeast Africa, includes the countries of Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia – all severely affected by a drought and subsequent famine.…