How the Church Responds to Emergencies
“While each humanitarian organization has its own areas of specialization, we share the common goal of relieving suffering among God’s children. All of this is part of God’s work for His children.”
How the Church Provides Aid During Emergencies
Some of the ways the Church provides aid during emergencies is through commodities, goods, and services. Here are just a few examples:
- Food and water
- Hygiene products
- Healthcare
- Shelter
- Communication support
- Volunteerism
- Psychological first aid and emotional health support
Supplies are purchased locally whenever possible. This allows goods to reach recipients faster and purchases to stimulate the local economy. The Church does not facilitate sending goods or packages to these areas, but it does encourage members who want to be involved to consider:
- Donating to humanitarian efforts through the appropriate section on the tithing form.
- Seeing how you can be involved in serving your community.
- Looking for opportunities to help using JustServe.
How the Church Organizes Responses to Emergencies
Disaster response is managed by the local Area Presidency. These presidencies and their staff start planning immediately after major disasters and work with local governments, first responders, and humanitarian organizations to develop a plan that will focus on providing immediate relief and long-term solutions appropriate to their areas.
This local-first focus avoids overwhelming the impacted area with too many people. It also allows areas to focus on needed resources and communication efforts in times of emergency.
Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints clean up after tornadoes in Tennessee.
How Church Members Volunteer to Offer Relief
When emergencies occur, members of the Church in the affected areas offer their labor and talents to serve those in need. Volunteers are not sent from across the country but are from nearby areas.
Member volunteer efforts are organized through local leadership and other organizations that the Church collaborates with for disaster relief. This is done through local command centers that are set up at Church buildings in the area to organize efforts on the ground. The Church encourages volunteers to work through these channels to avoid showing up unannounced, which can often cause more disruption than help. Other opportunities to be involved include working with local NGOs and volunteering through JustServe.org.
Volunteer duties can consist of many things depending on the nature of the situation, like setting up shelter in meetinghouses, cleaning up after disaster, conducting search and rescue, organizing and distributing food and supplies, and more.
These types of volunteers typically wear yellow shirts or vests with the Church’s name on the back and front, so people know who to contact for help.
JustServe is also active in many areas where emergencies occur. In addition to the official work-crew opportunities organized through the Church, many opportunities to volunteer are posted on the JustServe app and website. JustServe school clubs and JustServe cities also organize projects and mobilize volunteers from many parts of the community to assist in the aftermath of emergencies and in long-term recovery.
Missionaries unload emergency supplies following severe flooding in Brazil. Photo courtesy of Azul Airlines.
What Is My Role in Emergency Response?
There are several ways you can be involved in emergency response efforts. Here are just a few:
- Make plans and prepare beforehand.
- Explore Life Help: Preparedness
- Review the Personal and Family Emergency Preparedness Guide
- Find your local Area Preparedness Guide
- Volunteer through your stake or a local organization to support those affected by emergencies and more.
If you would like to donate to humanitarian aid efforts, see the “humanitarian aid” section of the tithing form. These donations are used for humanitarian efforts, including emergency response.