‘What Organized Religion Does’: A Day of Service in Utah with the World Food Programme

In a day when many have abandoned organized religion, a gathering at the Bishops’ Central Storehouse in Salt Lake City showed the power of gathering for a good cause.

To mark the 10th anniversary of its close relationship with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and World Food Program USA, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted a service project Thursday, February 8, 2024. Leaders from all three organizations joined more than 200 local young single adults to assemble over 4,300 food boxes for food pantries along the Wasatch Front.

Downloadable B-roll & SOTs

“Young people today want to be part of something meaningful,” said Bishop L. Todd Budge, Second Counselor in the Church’s Presiding Bishopric. “It gives them a break from social media to do something positive. It brings a smile to their face.”

“I’m so optimistic for the future,” added Camille N. Johnson, the Church’s Relief Society General President. “These are young people that are outward facing. They’re looking for opportunities to bless their sisters and their brothers. They’re community oriented and they’re motivated by love of God and love of neighbor. The future is bright.”

Sharon Eubank, director of the Church’s Humanitarian Services, said Thursday’s gathering answers the question, “Why do I need organized religion?”

“This is what organized religion does,” Eubank said. “It allows us to be good at scale and then to partner with other people who are good at scale. So, if you have a desire in your heart and you can be part of something that’s much bigger than you, the impact grows.”

Serving others in the “sophisticated” Bishops’ Central Storehouse reminded WFP USA President and CEO Barron Segar of the great work WFP does with help from others, such as the Church of Jesus Christ.

“[This is] supply chain at its best,” said Segar, who recently returned from a trip to Liberia to see how WFP and the Church are feeding the hungry and building self-reliance in that country. “This was a day that reminded me of why we’re good together. We’re both experts in supply chain.”

Christine Todd Whitman, a WFP USA board member and former governor of New Jersey, called the storehouse “something unbelievable.”

Download Photo

“The amount of food that is distributed from here and [other bishops’ storehouses] is really amazing,” Whitman said. “It’s been an amazingly seamless coming together in 10 years. It’s just a big family and we’re all doing what we care about — helping people and particularly the vulnerable, the people who are starving. We know the need is so great — much greater than any one of us individually can handle. But together we can make a huge impact.”

This service project comes on the heels of an announcement earlier this week that the Church and WFP are jointly funding an emergency response hub in Barbados.

The project, which will enable more agile disaster response by WFP and others throughout the Caribbean, is made possible by a contribution of US$4.3 million — $2 million from the Church and an additional $2.3 million from World Food Program USA. The hub will be completed this summer.

Whitman said the hub will help give those in need a sense of security.

“[This hub] enables them to stay in their homes, where they want to be,” Whitman said. “They want to stay in their home countries. But many of them can’t because they can’t sustain themselves.”

The Church and WFP have locked arms in service since 2014. We recently showcased how this collaboration is reducing food insecurity in Liberia — a country still trying to overcome a 14-year civil war (1989–2003) that destroyed national infrastructure and basic social services.

WFP has used funds from the Church of Jesus Christ (including the faith’s 2022 donation of $32 million) to provide food and other critical assistance to many other of the world’s most vulnerable people — including mothers and young children — in 46 countries.

This relationship between WFP and the Church of Jesus Christ comes at a critical time. Some 333 million people around the world face severe hunger — with 47 million on the brink of famine. Even so, government funding of humanitarian work is declining, forcing WFP to stretch every dollar to help as many people as possible.

Without a dedicated support network (which includes the Church), WFP could not meet the needs of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

“[This collaboration] has certainly inspired me,” Segar said. “If I could get on the top of a mountain tomorrow and scream about the good work that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is doing, I would do it. Unfortunately, hunger is here for a while.”

Download Photo

About the World Food Programme

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, D.C., proudly supports the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. Our leadership and support help to bolster an enduring American legacy of feeding families in need around the world. Learn more about World Food Program USA’s mission at wfpusa.org.

About Humanitarian Services of the Church of Jesus Christ

The Church’s 2022 annual report on caring for those in need shows that the faith’s efforts to care for those in need included more than $1 billion in expenditures, 6.3 million hours volunteered and 3,692 humanitarian projects in 190 countries and territories.

The humanitarian efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints relieve suffering, foster self-reliance and provide opportunities for service. The Church follows the admonition of Jesus Christ to feed the hungry and care for those in need.

This humanitarian outreach is made possible by the generous donations and volunteerism of Latter-day Saints and friends of the faith. The Church gives assistance without regard to race, religious affiliation or nationality. Aid is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self-reliance and sustainability.