Continuing the effort to care for women and children in need around the world, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating $25 million to a UNICEF effort that provides nutrition to millions of children and mothers around the world.
The Church’s donation is also matched with an additional $25 million through the CNF Match Challenge, bringing the total impact to $50 million, according to a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Fund is a global initiative that works to prevent and treat malnutrition.
This donation will help UNICEF with its goal to reach up to 320 million children and women each year by 2030 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and Sierra Leone.
Bishop W. Christopher Waddell of the Presiding Bishopric said the Church is grateful to work with UNICEF on this effort.
“Our long-standing work with UNICEF reflects shared values and a commitment to care for those in need around the world,” Bishop Waddell said. “The Church’s efforts to care for those who are vulnerable are guided by the teachings of Jesus Christ to seek out and serve individuals.”
Women and children
The Relief Society organization is leading the Church’s efforts to care for women and children, especially through child nutrition, maternal and newborn care, immunizations and education.
Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson said every child deserves a healthy start in life.
“Our multiyear focus on maternal and child nutrition is designed to invest directly in the future,” she said. “By addressing these critical dietary shortages, we are empowering mothers to help their children reach their potential.”
In 2023, President Johnson traveled to Uganda to see the aid provided with UNICEF to malnourished children in the area.
History with UNICEF
UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories and has been in South America since the 1940s, with efforts to improve the health and livelihoods of children and families and provide humanitarian aid to those who are vulnerable.
The Church of Jesus Christ works in collaboration with local and international organizations to help those in need and has supported UNICEF since 2013 with closely aligned goals.
“UNICEF is grateful to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its long commitment to improving the lives of children, and for this generous contribution,” said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell. “It comes at a critical time and will help deliver lifesaving nutrition to millions of children and women who need it the most.”
Starting in 2013, the Church and UNICEF have worked together globally on closely aligning goals for child nutrition and immunization, including maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination — reaching 10 million women with a vaccine to keep them safe.
The Church made other large donations in 2022 — with a $5 million donation to UNICEF’s new “No Time To Waste” global malnutrition campaign; in 2023 with $10 million to strengthen health systems in the Central African Republic, Haiti, Mali and Mozambique.
The two organizations also work together to assist refugees in emergency situations and have reached 115,000 refugee children in multiple countries through the Learning for Life program. And in Tanzania, the Church-UNICEF collaboration is working to improve early childhood education and health.
Caring for those in need
In 2025, the Church expended $1.58 billion in 196 countries and territories in efforts to care for those in need. The Church also donated 37,063,409 pounds of food through bishops’ storehouses and contributed to 569 emergency relief projects. Members of the Church volunteered in 3,514 humanitarian projects and spent 7.4 million hours volunteering throughout the year.
The Church works with other charitable organizations and nonprofits around the world to maximize the impact of these caring efforts.
