Caritas Portuguesa was founded in 1945, with its first statutes approved in 1956.
From the 1950s to mid-1970s, its activities focused primarily on the distribution of food to the Portuguese population, donated by the United States, and the hosting of children from Central European countries in the aftermath of World War II and the beginning of Cold War tensions.
Caritas Portugal is a Portuguese confederation of Catholic relief, development and social service organizations operating in Portugal. Caritas Portugal consists of 20 regional member organizations known as dioceses.
The organization's national headquarters are located in Lisbon; from there it provides general assistance to the regional dioceses.
