Humanitarian and service projects are an essential part of an effort to love and care for all God’s children.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages its members to follow the first and second great commandments, which are “to love God and to love your neighbors,” taught Church President Russell M. Nelson in October 2019 general conference.
Humanitarian and service projects are an essential part of that effort to love and care for all God’s children around the world, regardless of race, religion or nationality, according to an article on caring.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. The Church is able to fulfill its humanitarian mission by collaborating with other organizations around the world.
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, said in October 2022 general conference, “The Church of Jesus Christ is committed to serving those in need, and it is also committed to cooperating with others in that effort.”
This often involves donating resources or volunteer hours to organizations that specialize in a certain area of humanitarian aid. By working together, they can make a greater impact in providing immediate help and building self-reliance for God’s children.
The Church also follows humanitarian principles when offering worldwide aid and looks for organizations that share similar values, explained a post from the Church’s Caring social media account. Examples of those values are humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
When collaborating, the Church looks for organizations whose humanitarian projects:
- Seek to help those most vulnerable, regardless of race, religion or nationality.
- Attend to immediate needs while strengthening beneficiaries to care for their future needs better.
- Increase sustainability by using local resources to address local needs.
What other organizations say about working with the Church
On the Church’s Caring post, leaders of organizations that work closely with the Church around the world shared their thoughts about the collaboration.
Barron Segar, the president and CEO of World Food Program USA, said: “For almost a decade, the World Food Programme and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have [collaborated] to provide food and other critical assistance to the most vulnerable people worldwide. At this time of unprecedented global need, we are grateful for the Church’s support, which offers a lifeline for millions of hungry people and hope for a better future.”
Kerri Murray, president of ShelterBox USA, said: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enables us to reach the most vulnerable communities across the world with vital aid when they need it most.”
Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of CARE USA, said: “CARE’s invaluable collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has ensured we are able to continue filling critical gaps and meeting the needs of vulnerable communities. ... We are grateful for the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who give very generously to bring help and hope to others in this world.”
Working with faith-based organizations
Robert Hokanson, senior manager of Global Priorities at the Church, talked about collaborating with other faiths and faith-based organizations to provide humanitarian aid and build self-reliance.
“One of the things implicit in a faith community is trust,” he said. “Individuals will donate to their church for a good cause because of that trust. When that faith-based organization demonstrates trust through collaboration with another faith-based organization, it illustrates that we can overcome differences and work together with others on shared values.”
Because the Church is a global organization, it is connected to local communities through its members and able to understand local needs — and respond quickly. When the Church does not have a presence in an affected area, it financially supports organizations that already have processes in place to care for those in need, reported another social media post from the Church’s Caring account.
Striving to love God and love one’s neighbor compels the Church to serve others. A broad network of local leaders and trusted relationships makes this work possible, Hokanson said.
“Many people may be surprised to know the level to which faith-based organizations roll up our sleeves, lock arms and work together,” he said.
Read more about the Church’s humanitarian work at caring.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and at TheChurchNews.com/humanitarian-efforts