Latter-day Saint Charities
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. It was originally formed in 1985 to respond to the devastating famine in Ethiopia that year. Two worldwide fasts were held that raised over $11 million for the relief effort. As of 2020, there have been five worldwide fasts.
Latter-day Saint Charities has access to the resources of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which include funding and local volunteer support. Much of the funding comes from the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the Church of Jesus Christ and philanthropic donors to the organization. More than one million workdays of labor are contributed each year by volunteers in support of welfare initiatives. Largely run with volunteer labor, Latter-day Saints Charities operate both independently and in cooperation with other charitable organizations and governments.
Latter-day Saint Charities sponsor relief and development projects in 197 countries and territories and give assistance without regard to race, religious affiliation, or nationality. Aid is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self-reliance, and sustainability.
Areas of focus or initiatives for Latter-day Saint Charities include food security, clean water, immunization, maternal and infant care, emergency response, refugee response, vision care, wheelchairs, and community projects. Each has projects mostly carried out by trusted partners as well as welfare and self-reliance missionaries.
JustServe.org is the volunteerism arm of Latter-day Saint Charities. On JustServe.org, you can sign up for service opportunities in your community. You can also create your own service project and enlist the help of others on this new platform.
Sharon Eubank was appointed as the director of Latter-day Saint Charities in 2011.
