Difference between revisions of "Church Welfare Program"

Latest revision as of 10:31, 13 October 2023

A Latter-day Saint bishop's storehouse

President Marion G. Romney taught, "Welfare is not a program of the Church; it is the essence of the Church" (quoted by Vaughn J. Featherstone, "Now Abideth Faith, Hope, and Charity", Ensign, July 1973, p.35).

The objective of the welfare program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to care for those in need while teaching principles that promote self-reliance and self-respect.

Shortly after the Church was organized, a commandment was given to take care of the poor:

And now, I give unto the church in these parts a commandment, that certain men among them shall be appointed, and they shall be appointed by the voice of the church; And they shall look to the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer; and send them forth to the place which I have commanded them (Doctrine and Covenants 38:34-35).

The leaders of the Church established bishops' storehouses, places where grain and other commodities donated by members as free-will offerings were stored and distributed to help needy members. Since that time, the Church and its members have done their best to follow the Savior's example of charity by helping those in need.

In April 1936, the Church formally organized a welfare program to help Church members suffering from the devastating effects of the Great Depression. Today, that welfare program has expanded to all corners of the globe and assists members and people of all faiths or no faith at all.

Funding for the welfare program is provided by donations from Church members. One Sunday a month, members of the Church are asked to fast from food and drink for two meals. They are then asked to give generously the money they would have spent on those meals to the Church. The funds are known as fast offerings. This money is first given to help the needy in the various wards and branches and any excess is sent to other areas with people in need.

Welfare Facilities

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns and operates various welfare facilities throughout the world:

• Welfare Square - Located near Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. Welfare Square is the largest concentration of Church-owned welfare facilities. Buildings include a cannery, a milk processing plant, a bishops’ storehouse, a thrift store, an employment center and silos where wheat and other grains are stored.

• Bishops’ storehouses - Often compared to supermarkets without tills, bishops’ storehouses provide food and household items to those in need identified by local ecclesiastical leaders. There are more than 100 bishop's storehouses located across the U.S. and Canada. Each storehouse is filled with commodities such as canned and fresh food, toothpaste, diapers, and other essential hygiene items. When a family or individual is going through a hard time, they can go to their bishop and he will help them decide what they need.

• Bishops' Central Storehouse - Food and supplies are stored at this 570,391-square-foot warehouse in Utah.

• The Deseret Mill and Pasta Plant - The towering Church-owned facility covers 85,650 square feet. Its white grain silos hold 16 million pounds of wheat and can process 200,000 pounds of grain in a single day. The mill and pasta plant produce white and whole wheat flour, cake mix, gravy mix, potato pearls, granola, hot cereal, rolled oats, rice and pinto beans.

• Processing Plants - The Church operates processing plants throughout the U.S. and Canada. These facilities package and bottle food grown on Church-owned farms. They also process other commodities such as soaps and detergents. All of these goods are distributed to bishops’ storehouses, and many are available at home storage centers.

Programs and Services

Latter-day Saint Family Services is another part of the Welfare Program. Although Latter-day Saint Family Services is a separate corporation, Latter-day Saint Family Services help bishops (who oversee local welfare needs and distribution) care for those with social and emotional challenges by providing resources that are in harmony with gospel teachings. Latter-day Saint Family Services provides consultation services for Church leaders, counseling, missionary support services, and resources for those involved and affected by substance and pornography use. Latter-day Saint Family Services also provides adoption services, counseling for unwed parents, placing children in foster homes, and therapy and counseling for families or individuals experiencing other problems.

Deseret Industries often referred to as DI, is an organization that helps people with barriers to employment get the skills, education, and experience they need to achieve their goals and find careers. This is done through classes, training and real-life work experience in Church-owned thrift stores. The Church has set up centers around the world where people can go and get help finding employment or learning marketable skills. The Church also runs a program known as the Perpetual Education Fund. Through this program, people can apply for aid from the Church to pay for their schooling. After they have completed their education they are asked to return the money they used so that others will be helped. Anyone can donate to this fund as well.

Self-Reliance Services is available to any member who needs assistance with education, employment or finances. A bishop can invite a member to attend a self-reliance class or visit a self-reliance center. Self-reliance centers provide mentoring and other helpful resources to job seekers, the self-employed and prospective students. Members receive guidance that will help them learn practical steps to become self-reliant and provide for themselves as well as their families.

Refugee and Immigrant Support is a free public service offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It aims to help those who have immigrated to the United States find the help and resources they need in the community. Services include welcome centers, cultural adaptation classes, workshops and free legal clinics to help the immigrant population more easily integrate into society and overcome barriers in becoming more self-reliant.

Humanitarian Services is also an extension of the Welfare Program. Humanitarian Services provide aid to those in need because of disasters or poverty and functions internationally, serving the needy without regard to their race or religion. The Church provides food, water, vaccinations, clothing, and school supplies. Donations can also be given to this area of the Welfare Program through the Humanitarian Fund. Members of the Church are encouraged to help in this effort by making kits. Kits are divided into categories such as hygiene, school, and baby kits. Kits are already assembled and ready to go when disaster strikes. Therefore, Church humanitarian aid is often the first to arrive at a disaster site.

Latter-day Saint Charities is the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its purpose is to relieve suffering, foster self-reliance and provide opportunities for service for people of all nationalities and religions. It accomplishes this through the following major programs:

• Food Security
• Clean Water
• Community Projects
• Emergency Response
• Immunizations
• Maternal and Newborn Care
• Refugee Response
• Vision Care
• Wheelchairs

Ruling Principle of Work

In 1936, the First Presidency said, "Our primary purpose was to set up, in so far as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift, and self respect be once more established amongst our people. . . . Work is to be re-enthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of our Church membership." (Conference Report, October 1936, p. 3.)

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground. . . ." (Genesis 3:19.) This commandment, given to Adam, applies to all men. The Church Welfare plan provides for a "hand up," not a "hand out," as men and women are offered assistance in ways that contribute to their long-term ability to become as self-reliant as possible, and in ways that maintain their self-respect and belief in their own individual capacity.

External Links

• Provident Living
• Philanthropies
• Deseret Industries
• Latter-day Saint Family Services
• Refugee and Immigrant Support
• Personal Financial Sufficiency and Integrity
• Catching the Vision of Self-Reliance
• Making Principles of Welfare Part of Your Life

Video Resources