As part of the Lord’s way to provide for His children, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have the opportunity to fast each month and donate the value of the meals missed for the benefit of those in need. Local leaders use these funds to help meet needs for food, clothing, housing or other necessities within their congregations and communities, explained the Church’s 2021 annual report, “Caring for those in need.”
In 1936, the Church created the welfare program with the purpose to help Church members become self-reliant, care for those in need, and serve others. Members give of their time, talents, compassion, materials and financial means to care for those in need. Elements of self-reliance include education, health, employment, finances, home storage, and spiritual strength.
Today, the Church’s Welfare and Self-Reliance Services includes Family Services, Employment Services, the Humanitarian Center and Deseret Manufacturing, Deseret Industries, and bishops’ storehouses. The Church’s “Finding Strength in the Lord: Emotional Resilience” manual is also now available in 15 languages. In 2021, more than 11,000 welfare and self-reliance missionaries and long-term volunteers served in these capacities.
Missionaries and member volunteers
11,329 welfare and self-reliance missionaries and long-term volunteers
Self-reliance
▪ 14,984 self-reliance groups
▪ 137,458 participants
▪ 144 countries
▪ 2,658 recorded job placements in the U.S. and Canada
▪ Over 400 employment missionaries
Family Services
▪ 2,800 Addiction Recovery Program meetings per week in 30 countries and 17 languages
▪ 304,405 people served
▪ 189,994 family, group, individual, and marriage counseling sessions
Deseret Industries
▪ 9,054 associates served
▪ 58,981,915 pounds of goods recycled
▪ 39,835 furniture items manufactured
▪ 137 service missionaries
▪ 45 thrift stores in 8 U.S. states
▪ 122,841 volunteer hours by Church members and service missionaries at DI stores
Transitional Services
▪ Over 29,000 hours of missionary service
▪ 131 Church-service missionaries
