The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is donating $25 million to a UNICEF fund supporting the nutrition of millions of children and mothers worldwide.
Through UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Fund Matching Challenge, the church’s donation will also be matched with an additional $25 million — bringing the total impact of the church’s donation to $50 million, per a church press release published Wednesday on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“We are grateful to work with UNICEF to improve the health and nutrition of women and children,” said Presiding Bishop W. Christopher Waddell of the Church of Jesus Christ.
“Our long-standing work with UNICEF reflects shared values and a commitment to care for those in need around the world.”
The church’s contribution to UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Fund will help the fund reach up to “320 million children and women each year by 2030 with proven, lifesaving interventions,” according to the church’s press release.
This effort — supporting programs in Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and Sierra Leone — will serve mothers and children by “improving nutrition, promoting breastfeeding and healthy diets, providing essential vitamins and helping identify and treat life-threatening malnutrition early.”
The work will help “reach those in greatest need while strengthening local health systems so services can continue over time,” the church’s press release adds.
“UNICEF is grateful to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for its long commitment to improving the lives of children, and for this generous contribution,” UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said in the church’s release.
The church’s contribution “comes at a critical time and will help deliver lifesaving nutrition to millions of children and women who need it the most,” Russell said.
Poor nutrition is a significant factor in nearly half of all deaths among children worldwide, per the church’s release.
“Today, 181 million children lack access to even the most basic nutritious foods,” the release states. “About 150 million suffer from stunted growth … and another 43 million face severe, life-threatening malnutrition.”
The church’s recent $25 million donation is a continuation of the church’s global initiative to care for women and children in need around the world.
President Camille N. Johnson of the church’s Relief Society organization, which leads the church’s initiative, said all children deserve a healthy start in life.
“Our multiyear focus on maternal and child nutrition is designed to invest directly in the future,” she said. “By addressing these critical dietary shortages, we are empowering mothers to help their children reach their potential.”
The Church of Jesus Christ spent $1.58 billion last year on humanitarian, food donations, and other welfare and self-reliance operations, according to its 2025 annual charitable giving report.
“The humanitarian efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seek to relieve suffering, foster self-reliance and provide opportunities for service around the world,” the church’s release states.
Learn more about how the church’s charitable giving increased last year here and more about the church’s history working with UNICEF here.