With a desire to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and to seek and reach out to “the one,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expended $1.45 billion in 192 countries and territories in 2024. This included 3,836 humanitarian projects, fast-offering assistance and commodities, and 6.6 million hours of volunteer work.
The Church’s Caring for Those in Need 2024 Summary was released Tuesday, March 25, on CaringSummary.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. This summary highlights humanitarian aid, volunteer service and welfare and self-reliance efforts worldwide.
An introduction from the First Presidency thanks members and friends of the Church who acted on the invitation to find the one and to love their neighbor through generous donations of their time and resources.
“This summary shows how, together, we have cared for God’s children through initiatives such as responding to emergencies, feeding the hungry, and caring for the well-being of women and children,” wrote President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring.
Caring for God’s children helps them to feel His divine love, they wrote. The summary includes resources and services provided to assist members of the Church, but also describes humanitarian aid and relief given to all of God’s children throughout the world.
“Heavenly Father loves each of His children and recognizes the good work they do. We invite you to continue serving and loving those around you. May God bless you in your inspiring efforts,” says the introduction.
The entire 48-page 2024 summary is available in 17 languages. A map displays where all of the Church’s humanitarian projects took place in 2024.
2024 Church donations and service at a glance
The $1.45 billion in expenditures helped care for those in need through humanitarian efforts, outreach and relief, food and commodities, fast-offering assistance and more. Through funding and commodities, the Church supports thousands of humanitarian projects around the world without regard to race, nationality or religious affiliation. To do this, the Church also worked with other organizations such as UNICEF, World Food Programme, Project HOPE, CARE, WaterAid, ShelterBox and more.
Welfare and self-reliance efforts primarily benefit Church members and include fast-offering support, food orders, educational programs, employment services, emotional health support, group meetings and more.
In addition to the 6.6 million hours volunteered by Church members in welfare, self-reliance and humanitarian activities, thousands of other projects were fulfilled through the JustServe platform — a free website and app connecting charitable and nonprofit organizations with volunteers.
Worldwide aid
- 732 healthcare projects.
- 710 emergency relief projects.
- 591 food security projects.
- 267 clean water, hygiene and sanitation projects.
- 71 mobility projects.
JustServe
- 134,143 new JustServe users registered.
- 30,236 new JustServe projects created.
Service by members and missionaries
- 8,097,952 Relief Society sisters who contributed to hours of ministering work.
- 12,277 welfare and self-reliance missionaries.
Building self-reliance
- 128,028 self-reliance group participants.
- 10,809 Deseret Industries associates served.
- 2,503 addiction recovery meetings per week.
- 579 education projects.
Global initiative for women and children
The Relief Society organization is leading the Church’s global initiative for women and children. This year’s summary highlights those efforts to improve the health and well-being of women and children around the world, especially through child nutrition, maternal and newborn care, immunizations and education.
Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson has said, “Global progress starts with nourishing children and strengthening women. When you bless a woman, you bless a family, a community, a nation. When you bless a child, you invest in the future.”
This initiative is done globally as the Church funds and oversees efforts with nonprofit organizations. It is also done on a local level when members of the Church care for their families and those around them.
Other takeaways from the Caring for Those in Need 2024 Summary
The Church provides relief after emergencies by striving to meet immediate physical needs — such as shelter, food and water donations, and cleanup efforts — as well as psychological support to bring hope and resilience.
Clean water and sanitation is a priority for the Church, as is environmental stewardship, vision care and healthcare and mobility.
Education is prioritized through resources such as BYU–Pathway Worldwide, the Perpetual Education Fund, EnglishConnect and more.
The Church seeks to build self-reliance through housing support, mental health resources, Family Services, employment services and self-reliance courses. In 2024, the addiction recovery program was renamed “Healing through the Savior: The Addiction Recovery Program.”
About these efforts Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé has said, “We seek to minister to our neighbors — near and far — to make the world a better place for all.”
Getting involved in serving the community
When President Nelson was preparing to mark his 100th birthday in 2024, he invited all to reach out and serve the one just as Jesus Christ described in the parable of the lost sheep.
“Who do you know who may be discouraged? Who might you need to reconcile with or ask for forgiveness? Has one name been on your mind lately, though you haven’t quite known why? As you bring these questions to the Lord, He will inspire you to know how you can reach out and lift one who needs help,” President Nelson said last June.
Members of the Church around the world embraced that invitation in 2024 and can continue to do so.
“During His earthly ministry, the Savior set the example of caring for those in need in personal ways,” said Blaine Maxfield, managing director of Welfare and Self-Reliance Services. “His love for all of God’s children inspires us to serve as He would — striving to meet needs while helping others grow in self-reliance.”
One page of the summary is titled “Serving the one in your community.” This has a list of ideas to consider for serving the one in need, including making a meal, sending a note, saying thank you, meeting a friend, listening, mentoring and more.
On almost every other page, other suggestions are made to help people think about ways they can take part in the Church’s initiatives and relief efforts. Look for the box that says, “What can I do?”
More information about the Church’s efforts can be found at:
- ChurchofJesusChrist.org
- Caring.ChurchofJesusChrist.org
- JustServe.org
- DeseretIndustries.org
- AddictionRecovery.ChurchofJesusChrist.org
- theChurchNews.com/humanitarian-efforts
On Instagram follow:
On Facebook follow:
