How LDS Humanitarian Services Works

Some may wonder how LDS Humanitarian Services works. The recent tragic situation in Colombia could be used as an illustration.

As reported by the LDS Newsroom, personnel involved in the LDS Church Welfare program in Colombia met with political leaders to determine needs. The Church is helping provide food and water, and is working with local organizations, such as Acción Social, the Red Cross, and the Catholic organization El Minuto de Dios to distribute clothing. The Church will also be working in coming months with Colombia’s Fondo Nacional de Calamidades to distribute thousands of hygiene kits, school kits, newborn kits, blankets, and nearly 400,000 articles of clothing.

How can the Church do this? Just as people of many other faiths (as well as those of no religious persuasion), members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in helping the poor. One way that we do this is through financial donations (where 100% of the monies go to helping the poor; the Church covers administrative costs). Mormons will also provide service hours to help compile kits and gather and sort donated clothing. The Church provides a regularly-updated list of the most-needed humanitarian items, and Church members try to respond. (This is something Mormon women are often involved with as part of our Relief Society efforts to provide help and relief to those in need. We also try to find ways to help other organizations that provide relief.)

With such contributions, anyone can help LDS Humanitarian Services to have a ready supply of the items needed in times of disaster. Then, as illustrated with the situation in Columbia, the Church works with local authorities and organizations to figure out what is needed and to distribute aid using existing channels. Local Church leaders will also often assist in organizing human and other resources to help.