2022 Caring for Those in Need annual report

With a desire to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and live the two great commandments, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints engaged in 3,692 humanitarian projects in 190 countries and territories in 2022 — with 6.3 million hours of volunteer work and $1.02 billion in expenditures.

The Church’s new 2022 Caring for Those in Need annual report was released March 22 on Caring.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

An introduction from the First Presidency said Church leaders are pleased to share the annual report on the Church’s work to care for God’s children.

“Jesus Christ is the perfect example of caring for those in need,” the First Presidency wrote. “As His followers, we seek to love God and our neighbors throughout the world. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is eager to bless others and to help those in need. We are blessed to have the ability, resources and trusted global connections to carry out this sacred responsibility, which we consider a joyful privilege.”

2022 Church donations and service at a glance

The more than $1 billion helped others through humanitarian projects and charitable relief, donated commodities and donated clothing, fast-offering assistance, orders from bishops’ storehouses and Deseret Industries stores, and Church operations such as Family Services counseling, employment centers, farms and food-processing facilities.

The 6.3 million hours of volunteer work came through service at Church facilities such as farms, orchards, canneries, Deseret Industries and more; missions to care for those in need, including volunteer service around the world; and Church-sponsored community service projects, including cleanup after natural disasters.

In addition, JustServe, a free online platform connecting charitable and nonprofit organizations with volunteers, facilitated more than 130,511 volunteer projects since its inception, including 16,285 new projects in 2022.

Worldwide aid

• 520 food security projects.
• 156 clean water projects.
• 45 maternal care projects.
• 54 mobility projects.
• 42 vision care projects.
• 483 emergency response projects.

Global initiatives

• Projects completed in 157 countries and territories.
• Collaboration with 2,629 organizations.
• 46 childhood nutrition projects funded.
• 6 major immunization projects funded.

Building self-reliance

• 439 education projects.
• 525 addiction recovery meetings per week.
• 346,664 addiction recovery group participants.
• 106,261 self-reliance course participants.
• 9,186 Deseret Industries associates served.
• 195,491 counseling hours.
• 4,127 recorded job placements.

Service by members and missionaries

• 174 refugee response projects.
• 11,030 welfare and self-reliance missionaries.

JustServe

• More than 130,511 volunteer projects, including 16,285 new projects.
• JustServe is in 14 countries.
• 69,115 new registered users.
• 14,061 total organizations represented.
• 554 projects with interfaith organizations in the U.S. and Canada.
• 225 projects with interfaith organizations internationally.

Environmental stewardship

• 500-plus meetinghouses currently with solar initiatives.
• 73 million tons of recycled goods processed by Deseret Industries.
• 38 million-gallon reduction in yearly water consumption since 2018 at Church headquarters.

Other takeaways from the 2022 annual report

In 2022, the Church expended more than $16.8 million in aid in response to the Ukrainian and Russian crisis, donating hundreds of tons of food and hundreds of service hours to help those fleeing the conflict.

The Church also made significant financial contributions to others impacted by conflict and natural disasters, including in Africa, Tonga, South America and the United States.

Other monetary donations from the Church in 2022 included $32 million for the World Food Programme — the largest one-time donation to date at that time — $10 million to UNICEF and Rotary International for polio and maternal and neonatal tetanus vaccinations, $5 million to UNICEF for the global nutrition program and $5.1 million to the American Red Cross.

The report also emphasizes self-reliance and helping members feel empowered in meeting their temporal, spiritual and emotional needs through resources such as Deseret Industries, Transitional Services, BYU-Pathway, English Connect, Family Services, self-reliance courses and bishops’ storehouses.

Different sections of the report focus on the humanitarian work accomplished in each area: Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Africa, Middle East, Europe, North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. Examples highlight collaboration with many organizations to help others in need.

The First Presidency gratefully acknowledged the selfless service and donations of time, funds and other resources by Church members and friends to these efforts.

“When we love God with all our hearts, He turns our hearts to the well-being of others in a beautiful, virtuous cycle. Our world is filled with challenges of conflict, hunger, disease, disaster, poverty, pandemics and gaps in basic human needs. Whatever may come, we have faith and confidence in the goodness of people.”

The full 48-page report is available in 16 languages at Caring.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Find more Church News reporting at www.thechurchnews.com/humanitarian-efforts.

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