Template:Humanitarian Aid Updates
"Caring for those in need is both a duty and a joyful privilege for followers of Jesus Christ. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we commit to living the two great commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor (see Matthew 22:37–39). As a Church, we are blessed to have the ability, global connections, and resources to follow His admonition. . .. We invite all to join in being 'anxiously engaged in a good cause' as we continue to strengthen one another through service (Doctrine and Covenants 58:27). - First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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We Love God and We Love Our Neighbors
Caring for those in need has been the core mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the beginning. In 1842, the Relief Society was organized with a charge to care for the poor and minister to their needs. In 1936, the Church created the welfare program to help care for members in need and strengthen their ability to become self-reliant. And in 1985, the Church’s global humanitarian outreach was formally initiated.
President Russell M. Nelson has taught us that they who are willing to be called the Lord's people "are willing to bear one another’s burdens, . . . to mourn with those that mourn; . . . and [to] comfort those that stand in need of comfort."
Members of the Church have a covenant commitment to live the two great commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor. The Lord has commanded us to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees" (D&C 81:5). As followers of Jesus Christ, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints heed the Savior's call to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and afflicted.
Church members seek out those in need and render aid to all of God’s children without regard to religious affiliation, race, or nationality. As they do so, they are reminded of the Lord's admonition when he taught, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me" (Matthew 25:45). King Benjamin in his timely treatise as recorded in the The Book of Mormon also reminds us, "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). King Benjamin also exhorted, "And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another" (Mosiah 4:21).
In 2021, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in 3,909 humanitarian projects, with 6,800,000 hours of service volunteered, and 188 countries and territories served. Volunteer service was rendered through various means such as (1) Service at Church Facilities, such as farms, orchards, canneries, Deseret Industries stores, and more; (2) Missions to Care for Those in Need, including volunteer service in 85 countries around the world; and (3) Church-Sponsored Community Service Projects, including cleanup after natural disasters. In addition, JustServe facilitated over 41,000 volunteer projects (including 21,500 new projects).
A total of $906 million was expended to help those in need through:
- Fast Offering Assistance, which provides temporary financial help to those in need.
- Bishop's Orders For Goods, including giving food and commodities from bishops’ storehouses and Deseret Industries stores to those in need.
- Humanitarian Projects, including charitable relief in communities across the world.
- Donated Commodities, including Church-produced goods provided to communities through food banks and other agencies.
- Donated Clothing, including discounted or free apparel given to Deseret Industries.
- Church Operations, including Family Services counseling, employment centers, farms and food-processing facilities, and Deseret Industries.
To help as many people as possible, the Church has established various humanitarian projects which operate throughout the world. These programs include LDS Charities, Helping Hands, and LDS Philanthropies. The Church also maintains the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, which was established in 1991 to "prepare humanitarian supplies for use worldwide and train those desiring to develop employable skills to become self-reliant."
The Youth of Zion Also Render Service
President Russell M. Nelson has said, "[Our youth and children] have the capacity to be smarter and wiser and have more impact on the world than any previous generation!"
It is for this reason that children and youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are also encouraged to engage in service and be active in their communities. They are given opportunities to plan service activities and choose the goals and projects they want to work on with the help of adult leaders and family members. The activities that they participate in are designed to help them grow to be more like the Savior and develop socially, spiritually, physically, and intellectually.
On 11 September 2021, youth from 40 stakes in the United Kingdom and Ireland participated in a day of service. Activities ranged from collecting and delivering supplies for food banks to making flash cards to help people who are refugees learn English.
Also in 2021, many youths around the world participated in the Church's Light the World with Love campaign. As part of the initiative, adult leaders in Ecuador taught young women how to knit, and they were able to make 43 scarves in three months for their local nursing home.
In addition to activities organized by the Church, families are encouraged to plan service opportunities at home. For example, five-year-old Preston Andrews in Alberta, Canada, came up with the idea to organize members of the community to clean up trash strewn fields by their home. His four siblings helped him carry out the project.
The Church’s Self-Reliance and Humanitarian Initiatives
Some members choose to devote even more of their time to humanitarian work by serving a fulltime welfare and self-reliance mission. These devoted volunteers fill a variety of roles within the Church’s self-reliance and humanitarian initiatives. They may provide employment coaching, help those in need to transition to more stable living environments, supervise humanitarian projects, and even manage Church-owned farms and other facilities.
In southeast London, Elder and Sister Miller served at the Church's Friendship Centre, which aims to help individuals who are fleeing war, persecution, and natural disasters. The Millers coordinated volunteers, local government agencies, and other nonprofit groups to help these vulnerable individuals meet friends, learn skills, connect with counseling and legal assistance, and work toward integration in their new community.
In Laie Hawaii, Elder and Sister Ellingson managed the Church-owned Laie Hawaii Farm, where over 310 families grow crops to support their households. The Ellingsons helped clear land, prepared soil for planting, and taught basic farming skills. Their work helped many food-vulnerable people in Hawaii to support themselves during a time when jobs have been scarce due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Similarly, Elder and Sister Brock collaborated with Taiwan Technical Mission and the Ministry of Environment and Land Development in Kiribati to help residents learn how to grow nutritionally rich, sustainable gardens. One aim of this effort is to promote dietary practices that will help decrease the incidence of diabetes.
The Church also facilitates self-reliance programs and resources to help individuals find employment, become financially secure, gain educational opportunities, and build emotional strength. These efforts are aided by missionaries and other volunteers, who facilitate self-reliance groups and employment coaching in 144 countries worldwide.
For those who struggle with barriers to employment, development counseling is available through Deseret Industries. This program helps individuals to make goals and to determine a plan to get the education and experience necessary to achieve those goals. As part of the program, participants receive training and real-life work experience in Church-owned thrift stores.
The Church's Family Services organization helps leaders care for individuals with social and emotional challenges by providing resources and consultation. One important focus for Family Services is the Church’s Addiction Recovery Program (ARP), which provides support and a safe place for anyone working to overcome a compulsive behavior. The free program is made up of support groups that follow a 12-step approach. The program is built within a gospel-centered framework that connects with the Savior Jesus Christ and recognizes Him as the source of healing. The Addiction Recovery Program is facilitated by ARP volunteers around the world, and anyone—regardless of their religious belief—is welcome to participate. In addition to ARP services, Family Services offers counseling to people in a variety of circumstances. They also conduct family, group, and marriage counseling sessions.
Emergency Response is the part of the LDS Church's humanitarian efforts of which most people are aware. Funds and supplies in this area are used to help victims of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, droughts, tornadoes, and hurricanes, as well as other disasters such as wars or political unrest. Supplies in this area are gathered and stored before a crisis so supplies can be sent within hours of an emergency. Volunteers are also on call so they can be reached and organized within a few hours if needed. The LDS Church is renowned for its ability to organize its members in various regions of the world to respond to emergency and facilitate distributing goods immediately after a crisis, often before aid programs such as the Red Cross or the Salvation Army come to assist.
President Russell M. Nelson has said, "It would be impossible to calculate the amount of service that Latter-day Saints render around the globe every day of every year." President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles adds, "When we serve together, we realize that our similarities are stronger than our differences." And Sister Sharon Eubank, first counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, has said, "Our individual efforts don’t necessarily require money or faraway locations; they do require the guidance of the Holy Spirit and a willing heart to say to the Lord, 'Here am I; send me.'"
You can read the full "Caring For Those In Need" 2021 Annual Report online.
Self-Reliance Includes Education and Employment
Through BYU-Idaho, the Church has initiated its Pathway program to offer higher education to people all over the world. The unique structure of this program not only holds costs way down, but it also offers certificates on the way so that the earning power of the students increases as courses are completed.
Senior missionary opportunities in the Church include mentoring students all over the world, holding costs down.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also offers self-reliance courses in starting and growing a business, personal finance, finding a better job, education for better work, and emotional resilience. The personal finance course has been adapted by the NAACP to help inner city Blacks improve their standard of living.
