Leaders of the World Food Program and the U.N. agency for refugees said $4 million in donations by Latter-day Saint Charities will be used to help tens of thousands of both Ukraine refugees and those who remain in the war-torn nation.
The WFP said the $2 million it received from the charity arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will help the WFP provide food for about 11,000 people for four months, according to a news release.
Officials for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said the organization will use the church’s $2 million donation to help UNHCR support an estimated 40,000 displaced families.
“As the world watches the heartbreaking events in Ukraine unfold, I am still able to find moments of hope because dedicated organizations like Latter-day Saint Charities chose to step up and support refugees during their greatest time of need,” Anne-Marie Grey, CEO of USA for UNHCR, said in a news release.
“This emergency gift ensures that families fleeing the horrific violence in Ukraine will continue to receive the care and shelter they need after harrowing journeys,” she said. “This gift is so much more than just a fleece blanket or warm place to sleep for a refugee family. It shows families fleeing that there is still a compassionate global community ready to help.”
The church’s donation is funding immediate relief with vital supplies like blankets, solar lanterns, tents and shelters, said Lacey Stone, USA for UNHCR’s director of private sector engagement and partnerships.
“This is going to go to those in need on the ground in Ukraine and neighboring countries right away,” she said. “Latter-day Saint Charities has been providing relief and comfort to refugees for decades. And we just want to say how grateful and appreciative we are.”
The church has been a UNHCR partner for over 30 years.
More than 2.8 million people have fled Ukraine — about 6% of the population — and another 1.85 million people are displaced inside the country, according to UNHCR data.
The WFP aims to help feed over 3 million people inside Ukraine. At the same time, it is supporting UNHCR to assist refugees who have left the country.
Latter-day Saint Charities and the WFP have partnered to address the global hunger since 2014.
Latter-day Saint Charities President Sharon Eubank said last week that the church pre-positioned food and water in countries bordering Ukraine before Russia invaded. She vowed that the charitable arm of the church would maintain a long-term presence in the region.
“We’re not just there for the first month or the first week,” she said. “We will stay until that that situation is resolved. ... The disaster is only the very beginning. What we really care about is helping people spiritually, emotionally and physically recover and build their societies back.”
WFP teams are leading emergency telecommunications and logistics on behalf of the United Nations, according to the church’s news release.