LDS Humanitarian Services

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U.S. Navy sailors from the HSV-2 Swift move more than 100 tons of humanitarian aid to the pier at Beirut, Lebanon during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Over two million dollars worth of humanitarian aid was donated by the LDS Church and was disbursed to Lebanese citizens in coordination with the International Islamic Relief Organization. USN sailors at Beirut pier with aid cargo Aug 4 2006.jpg
U.S. Navy sailors from the HSV-2 Swift move more than 100 tons of humanitarian aid to the pier at Beirut, Lebanon during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict. Over two million dollars worth of humanitarian aid was donated by the LDS Church and was disbursed to Lebanese citizens in coordination with the International Islamic Relief Organization.

Latter-day Saint Charities (formerly known as LDS Humanitarian Services) [1] is a branch of the welfare department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The organization's stated mission is to relieve suffering, to foster self-reliance for people of all nationalities and religions, and to provide opportunities for service. [2]

Contents

Overview

The LDS Church considers humanitarian work to be an essential part of its mission to bless humanity.[ citation needed ] In 1842, Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, organized the Women's Relief Society, with a primary focus to provide "relief" to suffering members and ultimately to all people. During the Great Depression the LDS Church organized a welfare program, now administered the church's Welfare Services department, to help provide for the needs of its members.

LDS Humanitarian Services was created to coordinate these efforts in partnership with government, and other nonprofit agencies around the world. The church's humanitarian work primarily helps those in need who are not members of the church. [3] Key humanitarian initiatives include clean water, vision treatment, wheelchair provision, neonatal resuscitation, and disaster relief. Other initiatives include immunizations, family enrichment programs, and family food production. In 2008, LDS Humanitarian Services provided aid to 3.3 million people in 122 countries, and since 1985 help has been given to 23 million people in 189 nations. [4]

The funding for LDS Humanitarian Services comes from the philanthropic support of the church's members and other donors. Donations to the Humanitarian Fund are collected through local bishops and LDS Philanthropies.

LDS humanitarian initiatives

Part of harvest activities at the LDS Medford Pear Orchard, USA. LDS pear farm.jpeg
Part of harvest activities at the LDS Medford Pear Orchard, USA.
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. In 2008, the LDS Church responded to 124 disasters in 48 countries. [5] [ dead link ]
Wheelchair Distribution is another church program crucial to helping those in need. By providing wheelchairs to those in need, the church hopes to help people become more self-reliant which is an important tenet of LDS beliefs. [6]
The Clean Water Service provides clean water and wells to people who otherwise would most likely contract deadly diseases because of the dirty water. It is estimated that one billion people lack clean water. The clean water program is designed to partner with local community agencies to provide sustainable clean water. [7] [ dead link ]
The Neonatal Resuscitation program sends doctors and volunteers to areas where infant mortality rate is high. They are able to teach people in the area how to resuscitate newborns, as well as provide simple medical equipment. This service is greatly needed as it is estimated that nearly 1 million newborns die each year due to birth difficulties. Up to 10% of newborns have breathing difficulties. [8]
The Vision Treatment Training program teaches facilities and medical personnel in developing countries how to treat preventable or reversible blindness. There are 37 million people in the world who are blind, and up to 75 % of blindness is treatable. The vision care program works with local vision health care centers to help treat and prevent blindness for the poor. [9]

In addition to these efforts, the LDS Church also has over 300 job development and placement centers around the world. In 2001, the church began the Perpetual Education Fund which provides money to cover tuition and other school expenses to people in developing nations. As of 2007, tens of thousands of individuals had been given assistance. So far this program has operated primarily in South America and Oceania. The LDS Church has also begun producing a nutrition-rich porridge named Atmit to help during acute famines. The church welfare program owns farms, ranches, canneries, and other food producing facilities to provide temporary food relief for families and individuals. LDS Humanitarian Services frequently works with other charities and NGOs such as the Red Cross, Catholic charities and even various Islamic charities for which the LDS Church has produced halaal food. [10]

From 1985 to 2009, the church reported it gave $327.6 million in cash and $884.6 million in commodities of aid throughout 178 countries. [11]

In response to the ongoing COVID pandemic, in February 2021, Latter-day Saint Charities announced a pledge of $20 million to support UNICEF in delivering vaccines worldwide. This pledge complimented an earlier $3 million donation to assist with food, water, and medical supplies, and represents the largest donation from the private sector to support UNICEF's ACT Accelerator and COVAX work. [12]

In 2022, charitable expenditures exceeded $1.02 billion, an increase of nearly $100 million, up from $906 million in 2021. [13]

In Africa

The church has been involved in several humanitarian aid projects in Africa. On January 27, 1985, members across the world joined together in a fast for "the victims of famine and other causes resulting in hunger and privation among people of Africa." They also donated the money that would have been used for food during the fast to help those victims, regardless of church membership. [14] [15] :1730–1 Together with other organizations such as UNICEF and the American Red Cross, the church worked towards eradicating measles. Since 1999, there has been a 60 percent drop in deaths from measles in Africa. [16] Due to the church's efforts, the American Red Cross gave the First Presidency the organization's highest financial support honor, the American Red Cross Circle of Humanitarians award. [17] The church has also been involved in humanitarian aid in Africa by sending food boxes, ⁣ [18] digging wells to provide clean water, ⁣ [19] distributing wheelchairs, ⁣ [20] providing Neonatal Resuscitation Training, ⁣ [21] and setting up employment resources service centers. [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

Fast offering is the term used in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to denote money or usable commodities donated to the church, which are then used to provide financial or other assistance to those in need. The local bishop or branch president is responsible for the use of the fast offering resources, and is usually assisted by other local church leaders to identify individuals and families to receive assistance and to disburse the resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mormon missionary</span> Missionary of the LDS church

Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints —widely known as Mormon missionaries—are volunteer representatives of the church who engage variously in proselytizing, church service, humanitarian aid, and community service. Missionaries of the LDS Church may be male or female and may serve on a full- or part-time basis, depending on the assignment. Missionaries are organized geographically into missions, which could be any one of the 411 missions organized worldwide. This is one of the practices that the LDS Church is well-known for.

The self-reported membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as of December 31, 2023, was 17,255,394.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deseret Industries</span> Thrift store chain owned by LDS Church

Deseret Industries is a non-profit organization and a division of the welfare services provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finances of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</span>

The finances of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not a matter of public record. In the absence of official statements, people interested in knowing the LDS Church's financial status and behavior, including both members of the LDS Church and others, have attempted to estimate or guess. According to the church, their funding comes from the donations of its members and the principal expense is in constructing and maintaining facilities.

The Mwingi Water Project was a 2008 church sponsored project to supply clean potable water in the Mwingi District in Kenya. The project drilled 30 wells to provide water for 56,000 people. This effort is one of several ongoing water projects in the region, sponsored by both the Kenyan government and church based relief organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanitarian response by non-governmental organizations to the 2010 Haiti earthquake</span>

The humanitarian responses by non-governmental organizations to the 2010 Haiti earthquake included many organisations, such as international, religious, and regionally based NGOs, which immediately pledged support in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Besides a large multi-contingency contribution by national governments, NGOs contributed significantly to both on-the-ground rescue efforts and external solicitation of aid for the rescue efforts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Democratic Republic of the Congo</span>

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Democratic Republic of the Congo refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As of 2021, the LDS Church reported 102,862 members in 269 congregations in the DRC, making it the third largest body of LDS Church members in Africa, behind Nigeria and Ghana. Currently, the DRC ranks as having the 16th highest LDS growth rate among countries of the world, with an annual growth rate of 13 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mormon Helping Hands</span>

Helping Hands is a community service volunteer program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welfare Square</span> Complex in Salt Lake City operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Welfare Square is a complex in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to provide material assistance to poor and otherwise needy individuals and families. Welfare Square is part of the Church's Church Welfare System. It includes a 178-foot (54 m) grain silo, fruit orchards, a milk-processing plant, a cannery, a bakery, a Deseret Industries thrift store, a private employment office, and the LDS Church's largest Bishop's storehouse, as well as associated administrative offices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon Eubank</span>

Sharon Eubank is the director of Latter-day Saint Charities. She also served as the first counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from April 2017 to August 2022.

Philanthropies, formerly LDS Philanthropies, is a department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is responsible for facilitating donations to humanitarian and educational initiatives. The department works under the direction of the church's Presiding Bishop. The most widely known educational projects are the operation of church-owned schools, such as Brigham Young University (BYU). Humanitarian funds are given to Latter-day Saint Charities which sponsors and organizes relief efforts. In 2019, the church reported over 3,000 community-based projects with an excess of 2,000 partners, in locations around the world. A 2020 statistic reported a total of $2.3 billion that had been donated over Philanthropies' existence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Republic of the Congo</span> Church in the Republic of the Congo

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Republic of the Congo refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in the Republic of the Congo. The country was opened to the church's missionaries in 1991. Since then, the church has grown to 11,481 members in 32 congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Turkey</span> Presence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Turkey

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Turkey refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in Turkey. As of May 29, 2024, the Church has 708 members and 9 branches in several cities in Turkey. The Church has branches in İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Adana (English), Gaziantep (Turkish), Isparta (Persian), and Antalya (Turkish).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bahrain</span>

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bahrain refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in Bahrain. Bahrain is headquarters of the Bahrain Stake which encompasses Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. In 2022, there were 252 members in the Bahrain Ward, the only congregation in the country. The Kuwait Ward, part of the Bahrain Stake, had 375 members. The LDS Church does not release membership figures in Saudi Arabia or Yemen due to lack of official recognition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cameroon</span>

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cameroon refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in Cameroon. The first branch was organized in Yaoundé in 1992. In 2022, there were 2,721 members in 15 congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Belize</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Pakistan</span>

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Malawi refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members in Malawi. The first convert baptisms were performed in 1992. In 2022, there were 3,872 members in 12 congregations. Malawi was one of the fastest growing countries for LDS Church membership over the past decade.

References

  1. Walch, Tad (2019-08-16). "Inside the monumental task of focusing on the name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". Deseret News. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  2. Humanitarian Services Operations Guide[ not specific enough to verify ]
  3. "What the Church Is Doing". churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  4. "LDS Statistics and Church Facts - Total Church Membership". Mormonnewsroom.org. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  5. "Emergency Response". churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  6. "Wheelchair Distribution". churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  7. "Clean Water". churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  8. "Neonatal Resuscitation". churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2010-10-11.
  9. "Vision Treatment". churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  10. "Provident Living Home". Providentliving.org. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  11. "Welfare Services Fact Sheet – 2009" . Retrieved 2011-07-09 via Internet Archive.
  12. "The Church of Jesus Christ and UNICEF Partner to Fight COVID". newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  13. https://www.deseret.com/faith/2023/3/22/23652303/lds-church-mormon-charitable-giving-expenditures} [ bare URL ]
  14. Ferguson, Isaac C. (1992), "Humanitarian Service", in Ludlow, Daniel H (ed.), Encyclopedia of Mormonism , New York: Macmillan Publishing, pp. 661–663, ISBN   0-02-879602-0, OCLC   24502140
  15. Ludlow, Daniel H, ed. (1992), "Appendix 8: Letters of the First Presidency", Encyclopedia of Mormonism , New York: Macmillan Publishing, pp. 1724–1734, ISBN   0-02-879602-0, OCLC   24502140
  16. "Church Works to Eradicate Measles in Africa", Meridian Magazine, January 31, 2007.
  17. "American Red Cross Recognizes Church for Support of Measles Initiative in Africa", mormonnewsroom.org, February 8, 2005
  18. "Food Boxes Rushed to Ease Starvation in Africa", mormonnewsroom.org, May 30, 2002.
  19. "Clean Water Projects", mormonnewsroom.org, accessed March 8, 2016.
  20. "Wheelchair Distribution", mormonnewsroom.org, accessed March 8, 2016.
  21. "Church Works to Save Infants Through Neonatal Resuscitation Training", mormonnewsroom.org, March 14, 2007.
  22. "Employment Resource Service Centers", mormonnewsroom.org, accessed March 8, 2016.