Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a vital role to play in the work of caring for those in need. As part of our covenant to love God and love our neighbors, Church members fast for one day each month and generously donate the value of the meals missed to benefit other individuals and families within the Church who are in need.
In addition, Church members show their love through ministering. Ministering means learning of and attending to someone’s needs. In addition to ministering to people in our local congregations, we prayerfully seek opportunities to serve those outside our faith through community projects and other initiatives.
We try to follow the example of Jesus Christ in caring for those in need—regardless of location, race, nationality, gender, religious belief, or political affiliation—without expectation of return. Church members around the world commit to this care, offering their time, talents, compassion, materials, and financial means as part of the “Lord’s storehouse” of resources to help His children.
—Elder Patrick Kearon, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
When disasters arise, Church members often donate their time and energy to help those impacted—regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs.
Women of the Church were a great force for good in the world in 2023. In West Africa, Relief Society women hosted a joint environmental cleanup project with “Dynamic Sisters,” a Muslim women’s group in Gambia. And Relief Society members in Peru gathered food, water, toilet paper and clothing for those affected by devastating floods in Lima.
Sophia, for example, is a Relief Society member of the Church who was born and raised in Haiti. Though she now lives in Canada, her early experience with the effects of natural disasters and other systemic issues in her home country left her with a desire to help those affected by these situations. In 2023, Sophia volunteered her construction skills in cities and countries that had been ravaged by disasters. She also spent International Women’s Day helping several women in her community who had been displaced from Haiti due to gang violence.
Young adults in the Church have a great capacity to provide compassionate service for those in need. In Utah, for example, thousands of young adults gathered to assemble meal kits for the Million Meals project. Through their dedicated service, these young adults contributed to the Utah Food Bank’s goal to pack one million meals to feed hungry children.
In Berlin, over 700 young adult members and friends of the Church gathered for a Europe-wide service conference to support the 2023 Special Olympics. They volunteered their time during the day, helping to run this sporting event for those with disabilities.
Service is a uniting force for children and youth within the Church.
In the United States, Church youth have helped form clubs to carry out service in their communities. Dallas and Tiernan started one such club in their school in Colorado, attracting dozens of teenage members of multiple faith groups. Among other projects in 2023, the club helped a community garden, made fleece blankets for hospice patients, and assisted individuals seeking refuge within their community.
There are lots of ways to get involved in the work of caring for those in need in your community! You can connect with local nonprofits in your area or talk to your local Relief Society president to see what needs you can address. In some areas, you can also check out JustServe.org to volunteer for humanitarian projects near you.