The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strives to care for God’s children in a variety of ways in almost every corner of the world. Caring for others is considered one of the key responsibilities of all Church members.
The 2024 “Caring for Those in Need” summary highlights the Church’s commitment to welfare, self-reliance, humanitarian aid, emergency relief, and volunteer service, with expenditures totaling US$1.45 billion. The Church provided assistance in 192 countries and territories, showing its global reach. This included 3,836 humanitarian projects. Church members volunteered 6.6 million hours of service at Church Welfare and Self-reliance facilities, in service missions, and in community service projects, demonstrating their dedication to caring for God’s children.
“Last year, members and friends of the Church were invited to seek and reach out to ‘the one,’ as Jesus Christ taught in His parables and demonstrated through His mortal ministry,” the First Presidency wrote at the beginning of the report. “We are thankful for your contributions and are pleased to share this year’s report of our collective efforts.”
“We believe that our stewardship over God’s creations includes, at its pinnacle, a sacred duty to love, respect, and care for all human beings with whom we share the earth,” Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé told an international trade summit last year. “For me, one of the most sacred aspects of serving as Presiding Bishop is the responsibility to organize temporal relief for people who are in greatest need — both inside and outside the Church.”
One of the most important ways the Church of Jesus Christ reached out to “the one” was by helping women and children. As part of a global initiative to improve the well-being of women and children, the Relief Society announced a new $55.8 million initiative to address child nutrition efforts across 12 high-need countries.
“Global progress starts with nourishing children and strengthening women,” Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson said last year when the expansion was announced. “When you bless a woman, you bless a family, a community, a nation. When you bless a child, you invest in the future.”
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This important work is being done with a number of respected worldwide organizations with a proven track record of effectiveness and integrity. These include CARE International, Catholic Relief Services, Helen Keller Intl, iDE, MAP International, Save the Children, the Hunger Project and Vitamin Angels.
The Church sought out and served people experiencing challenges in many other ways. In Sierra Leone, for example, the Church gave hundreds of wheelchairs, crutches, and canes to people in need in Freetown. The aid included training to help local technicians and physiotherapists improve mobility and independence.
A woman who could only crawl since childhood was especially grateful.
“I became disabled at the age of 3,” she said. “Without a wheelchair, all I could do was crawl around. This is a great blessing to me.”
In the Philippines, the Church and local government provided food and water to those impacted by El Niño.
“We know we cannot help everyone,” Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said in May. “We can see how [organizations such as the Church] help us do this part of our job.”
In Jamaica, the Church helped equip a high school with specialized equipment for teaching technical and vocational classes. Students now make honey and embroidery to become self-reliant and provide for their future families.
“We promise to take care of these gifts and, while we use them, [we] give thanks for blessing us in such a way,” said Joy Vincent, head of the school’s agricultural department.
Through ongoing collaboration with the World Food Program USA, UNICEF, CARE and other organizations, the Church supported 591 food security projects and 267 clean water, hygiene and sanitation projects.
The Church also provided emergency relief such as shelter, food and water, disaster cleanup, emotional support and psychological first aid across five continents. In collaboration with UNICEF, the Church provided services such as clean water and sanitation, immunizations, health and vision care and food to millions of people.
Not only is the work the Church does intended to help all people — it is enabled by all people.
“These worldwide efforts would not be possible without the generous donations of time and resources from faithful members and friends of the Church,” said Blaine Maxfield, managing director of the Church’s Welfare and Self-Reliance Services. “As we extend our care to those in need, we can help them feel God’s love. We are grateful for all who contribute and serve so selflessly.”
Visit CaringSummary.ChurchofJesusChrist.org to discover more about how the Church has helped care for God’s children through initiatives such as responding to emergencies, feeding the hungry, and caring for the well-being of women and children. You will also find ways to serve in your community.