Katolikus Karitász - Caritas Hungarica

What Katolikus Karitász - Caritas Hungarica does

Katolikus Karitász - Caritas Hungarica is the official charitable organization of the Hungarian Catholic Church, established in 1931 and headquartered in Budapest. It operates a nationwide service delivery network across 16 diocesan Caritas centers and hundreds of parish-level volunteer groups, providing social welfare services to individuals and families in severe disadvantage, people with addictions, refugees, and Hungarian minorities abroad in Transcarpathia.

The organization's service portfolio spans multiple program lines: material assistance (food rescue, clothing and goods donation through KaritászPONT stores), housing crisis support (LAK6 program), child welfare (free summer camps for ~4,000 children annually, school-start support, staircase tutoring), addiction counseling through the RÉV network at nine locations, long-term community development in 22 disadvantaged settlements (Presence program), medical missions to Transcarpathia, and a newly launched volunteer-staffed emergency rescue service (Karitász Mentőszolgálat, established June 2026). No proprietary technology platform is disclosed; operational infrastructure is built on standard donation systems (1356 phone hotline, online donation platform, 1% personal income tax designation) and partner-driven logistics (notably the Hungarian Food Bank partnership for daily food collection).

Revenue is generated entirely through donations and grants rather than fees: individual giving via the 1356 hotline (500 HUF per call) and online platform, the Hungarian 1% personal income tax designation, corporate and institutional donations, and government/EU grant funding (notably RRF and Karitatív Tanács logistics support). The organization reports no public revenue figure. Programs are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries regardless of religion or background, with operations funded through 16 diocesan HQs, ~90 full-time staff plus ~60 community development workers in 22 settlements, and an extensive volunteer base.

Name

Katolikus Karitász - Caritas Hungarica

Legal name

Katolikus Karitász

Website

https://karitasz.hu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1931

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Katolikus Karitász - Caritas Hungarica is the official charitable organization of the Hungarian Catholic Church, founded in 1931. It delivers social welfare, food rescue, addiction support, medical missions, and emergency services through 16 diocesan centers across Hungary, funded entirely by donations and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Welfare and Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid services
• Food rescue programs
• Social welfare services
• Addiction support services
• Charitable donation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Budapest

HQ country

Hungary

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations via hotline and online: Individual donations through the 1356 donation hotline (500 Ft per call) and online donation platform on karitasz.hu. Donors can choose from preset amounts (2500-50000 Ft) or specify custom amounts.
2. Corporate and institutional donations: Support from corporations, foundations, and government sources for various programs and projects.
3. 1% personal income tax designation: Hungarian taxpayers can designate 1% of their personal income tax to the organization.
4. Government project funding: EU and domestic government funding for specific programs such as felzárkózás (upgrading) projects, food rescue programs, and housing support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Katolikus Karitász is the official charitable organization of the Hungarian Catholic Church, delivering free social welfare and humanitarian aid services to vulnerable populations in Hungary and Hungarian minority communities abroad. Its core offerings include donation infrastructure (1356 hotline, online donations, physical KaritászPONT stores), national aid programs (food rescue, medical missions, free summer camps, housing crisis support, school supply assistance, tutoring programs, household self-sufficiency programs), the RÉV addiction support network, the Jelenlét settlement integration program, and the newly launched Karitász Mentőszolgálat emergency rescue service.

Product overview

Katolikus Karitász - Caritas Hungarica is the official charitable organization of the Hungarian Catholic Church, offering a diverse portfolio of social assistance programs rather than a single product. The organization operates through multiple interconnected service lines: donation infrastructure (1356 donation hotline, online donation platform, KaritászPONT/adománybolt physical centers), national aid programs (Orvosmisszió medical missions, Vár a nyár! summer camps, Élelmiszermentés food rescue, LAK6 housing support, Legyen öröm az iskolakezdés! school support, Lépcsőfok tutoring, and Öngondoskodó háztartások household self-sufficiency programs), territorial presence programs (Jelenlét in underdeveloped settlements), the RÉV Szenvedélybeteg-segítő Hálózat addiction support sub-brand with 9 locations, and seasonal campaigns (Tartós szeretet, Tárjátok ki a szíveteket!, Angyalbatyu, Egymillió csillag). The newest addition is the Karitász Mentőszolgálat rescue service launched in June 2026. All programs are delivered through a network of 16 diocesan Karitász centers coordinated from the Budapest headquarters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RÉV - Remény Élet Változás: Szenvedélybeteg-segítő hálózat - Addiction support service network providing low-threshold services, counseling, therapy, and support for substance users and their families. Operating at 7 locations across Hungary.
• Karitász Mentőszolgálat

Products and services

• 1356 Donation Hotline (Adományvonal) A telephone donation line (1356) enabling callers to donate 500 HUF per call to support the organization's charitable programs, including summer camps, medical missions, and general assistance activities.
• Online Donation Platform An online donation platform on the organization's website accepting financial contributions for designated programs including the emergency rescue service, Uganda school construction, summer camps, general purposes, integration programs, medical missions, Ukrainian war relief, and school start support.
• Orvosmisszió (Medical Mission) A program providing free medical screenings and consultations through volunteer doctors to underserved Hungarian communities living in Transcarpathia (Kárpátalja), the Délvidék, and Transylvania. Includes ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopedics for children, gynecology, and cardiovascular screenings for adults.
• Vár a nyár! Summer Camps (Karitász-táborok) Free summer camp programs for disadvantaged children, those living in deep poverty, and children with disabilities. More than 4,000 children participate annually in residential, day, thematic, and craft camps located at lakeside resorts, parishes, and community accommodations.
• Élelmiszermentés (Food Rescue) A food rescue program that redirects surplus food from food chains, large companies, and smaller stores to charitable purposes. Between 2022 and end of 2025, approximately 2,300 tonnes of food were rescued, valued at nearly 1.9 billion HUF, reaching 5,500-6,000 beneficiaries.
• Legyen öröm az iskolakezdés! (School Start Program) A school-start support campaign providing assistance to children from disadvantaged backgrounds at the beginning of the academic year. The program also includes ongoing support and motivation throughout the school year, supporting approximately 1,500 children currently with a goal to reach another 1,500.
• Lépcsőfok Program (Staircase Program) A comprehensive study support and motivation program for children in grades 3-12 who receive regular child welfare benefits and are in disadvantaged or multiply disadvantaged situations. Provides personalized long-term support including tutoring, talent development, educational tools, and mentorship.
• LAK6 Housing Support Program A housing crisis assistance program offering six forms of support including utility debt settlement, common charge debt resolution, rental and lodging fee support, social housing retention subsidies, and specialized accommodation support. Since its inception, over 360 million HUF has been allocated in more than 4,000 cases.
• Akarom Program (I Want Program) A family support model program launched in 2016 providing financial, social, and mental assistance to struggling families. Covers four themes: conscious household management, affordable living, healthy household, and conscious child-rearing through interactive sessions and multi-month programs.
• Zöldellő kertek (Green Gardens) A self-sufficiency program providing seeds and seedlings to families with kitchen gardens. In 2026, 4,354 families received seed packages worth 29 million HUF containing 14 types of vegetable seeds, and approximately 15,000 seedlings were distributed in collaboration with the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences (MATE).
• Tartós szeretet (Lenten Food Collection) An annual Lenten non-perishable food collection campaign organized across Hungarian Catholic churches, with food packages distributed to families in need before Easter.
• Tárjátok ki a szíveteket! (Advent Charity Program) An Advent charitable program providing warm homes, food, and festive joy to those in need during winter, including heating stoves, firewood, food packages, gifts, and hot meals for the homeless.
• Angyalbatyu (Angel Bundle) Program A nationwide gift collection campaign where donors prepare personalized gift packages for disadvantaged children for Christmas. Packages can be dropped at collection points listed at www.angyalbatyu.hu or sent by post.
• Egymillió csillag a szegényekért (A Million Stars for the Poor) A solidarity action launched in France in 1998, organized in Hungary since 2008, featuring candle lighting events and donation collections at markets and main squares to raise awareness of families in difficult circumstances.
• Jelenlét a Felzárkózó Településeken (Presence in Underdeveloped Settlements) A complex social integration program operating in Hungary's most disadvantaged settlements, placing social workers in 22 settlements and running approximately 60 staff members including social workers, local community members, developmental pedagogists, and speech therapists. Includes 15 settlements in Baranya and Heves counties under the RRF project.
• RÉV Szenvedélybeteg-segítő Hálózat (RÉV Addiction Support Network) A professional network providing addiction support services at multiple locations (Budapest, Óbuda, Székesfehérvár, Kecskemét, Eger, Szombathely, Vác, Szekszárd). Services include social information, crisis intervention, counseling, psychological consultation, group therapy, prevention programs, and harm reduction for individuals affected by substance and behavioral addictions.
• Karitász Mentőszolgálat (Katolikus Karitász Rescue Service) An emergency rescue service launched in June 2026 staffed by volunteer doctors, ambulance officers, healthcare professionals, and volunteers, providing rapid professional assistance to people in distress. Operates in coordination with the Országos Mentőszolgálat.
• KaritászPONT / Adománybolt (Donation Stores) Physical donation centers and charity shops operated by the organization where in-kind donations can be dropped off, complementing online and hotline donation channels.
• Szép otthonok Program (Beautiful Homes Program) A home environment improvement program launched in 2017 supporting families in improving comfort, hygiene, and order of their homes through multi-level assistance including yard cleanup, wall repair, painting, and housing condition improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 2,300 tonnes of food rescued from 2022-2025, valued at ~1.9 billion Ft, reaching 5,500-6,000 beneficiaries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Magyar Élelmiszerbank Egyesület (Hungarian Food Bank)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for food rescue operations. The Hungarian Food Bank donates near-expiry food products which Caritas collects daily and distributes to those in need.
• Élelmiszermentő Központ Nonprofit KftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for food rescue activities to save more food and deliver it to people in difficult circumstances.
• Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem (MATE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the 'Green Gardens' seedling program. MATE provides approximately 15,000 seedlings annually to families in need through the Caritas network.
• Szent Erzsébet Alapítvány (St. Elisabeth Foundation, Germany)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGerman foundation providing significant support for medical missions in Transcarpathia. Foundation president Klaus Höhn serves as Caritas Hungary's goodwill ambassador.
• Caritas EuropacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Caritas umbrella organization. Caritas Hungary participates in annual assemblies and aligns with the organization's 2024-2030 strategy emphasizing innovation.
• Caritas InternationaliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Caritas network bringing together organizations from over 165 countries. Provides international solidarity and coordination for humanitarian efforts.
• Karitatív Tanács (Charitable Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization of Hungary's six major charitable organizations. Coordinates nationwide charitable efforts including food rescue and disaster response. Receives government support for logistics infrastructure.
• GrundfosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Szent Kristóf Ház in Székesfehérvár. Company representatives personally participated in building raised beds for the garden project.
• Fehérvár Travel AlapítványminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain corporate sponsor for Szent Kristóf Ház facility supporting people with disabilities in Székesfehérvár.
• Caritas de VenezuelaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenezuelan Caritas partner for humanitarian response to earthquake victims. Caritas Hungary is coordinating international aid through this partnership.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Caritas Internationalis: Global confederation of 165+ Catholic charitable organizations coordinating humanitarian response and providing institutional backing; defines the operating framework within which Caritas Hungarica delivers international programs.
• Karitatív Tanács (Charitable Council): Umbrella coordination body of Hungary's six major charitable organizations including Caritas Hungarica; channels government logistics funding for food rescue and coordinates nationwide disaster response across the member organizations.

Emerging players

• Habitat for Humanity Hungary: Specializes in housing-related charity work in Hungary, overlapping with Caritas Hungarica's LAK6 housing-crisis program; smaller scale but adjacent mission space and competes for housing-related grants.

Direct peers

• Magyar Vöröskereszt (Hungarian Red Cross): Hungarian affiliate of the International Red Cross providing disaster relief, social support, and first-aid training nationwide; serves overlapping beneficiary populations and competes for government and 1% tax designation funding.
• Máltai Szeretetszolgálat (Hungarian Order of Malta Charity Service): Large Hungarian charitable organization operating social institutions, healthcare programs, and humanitarian missions under Catholic/Christian identity, with overlapping donor bases and similar nationwide service network.
• Magyar Élelmiszerbank Egyesület (Hungarian Food Bank): Hungarian food-rescue non-profit actively partnering with Katolikus Karitász; both organizations redirect near-expiry food from retailers to vulnerable populations and coordinate through the Karitatív Tanács umbrella.
• Baptista Szeretetszolgálat (Baptist Aid): Hungarian Baptist charitable organization operating nationwide social, food, and educational programs for disadvantaged groups; competes directly for corporate and individual donations in the same Hungarian charity market.
• Ökumenikus Segélyszervezet (Hungarian Interchurch Aid): One of Hungary's largest faith-rooted charitable organizations, delivering social assistance, refugee aid, and disaster response. Co-member with Caritas Hungarica in the Karitatív Tanács and shares core social-services funding pools.

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Caritasverband (Caritas Germany): Germany's largest Catholic welfare organization operating hospitals, social services, and aid programs; the St. Elisabeth Foundation in Germany already partners with Caritas Hungarica on Transcarpathian medical missions.
• Caritas Austria: Larger Catholic-affiliated charity in neighboring Austria with similar diocesan network, social services, and overseas mission programs; serves as a benchmark for scale within the same Caritas Internationalis network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@karitasz-caritashungarica938
• Facebookfacebook.com/karitasz
• Instagraminstagram.com/katolikuskaritasz
• TikToktiktok.com/@katolikus_karitasz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caritas-hungarica-katolikus-karitasz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Katolikus Karitász - Caritas Hungarica