Church News Release

Saturday 0ct 26, 2013

NEWS RELEASE —  26 OCTOBER 2013

Relief Efforts Continue in Bohol

BOHOL — 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through its foundation arm, LDS Charities, has continued to extend help to survivors of the Bohol earthquake.  Food kits, hygiene kits, shelter kits and other supplies like water filtration equipment and 5 KVA generators have been sent  to various barangays  in Tubigon, San Isidro , Antequera,  Maribojoc,  Loon,  Sagbayan,  Clarin, Inabangga and  Buena Vista.

The Church has worked with local leaders and NGOS to get updates and latest assessments on the ground to determine to what areas the goods will be brought.  An initial amount of Php 1 M was released to provide immediate assistance.

Leaders of the Church led by Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve, accompanied by local District (Diocese) leaders Jerome Galotera from Tagbilaran and Ricardo Saballa from Calape will meet with Governor Edgardo Chatto on October 27 to offer love and support.  An additional assistance of Php 12.9 M was approved from Church Headquarters to provide additional funds to ongoing relief efforts.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides relief and development projects for humanitarian purposes without regard to the nationality or religion of the recipients.

 Humanitarian service includes emergency response to natural disasters, such as an earthquake or a tsunami, or man-made disasters, such as the effects of war and famine. It may also be part of a longer-term effort to meet serious and more entrenched human needs, such as the need to alleviate disease.

After urgent needs are met, the Church looks for additional ways to help with the long-term needs of the community. The Church’s approach is to help people become self-reliant by teaching skills and providing resources for a self-sustained life.

Donations have come from fast offering of members.  Latter-day Saints abstain from food and drink for two meals on a first Sunday of the month and donate the equivalent cost, or more, to the Church to assist the poor and needy. One hundred percent of the donations given to the Church’s humanitarian services are used for relief efforts. The Church absorbs its own overhead costs.

Service rendered by volunteers fall under the Mormon Helping Hands program which reflects the desire of Church members to follow the example of Jesus Christ by serving others.  On Monday, October 27, these volunteers in their trademark yellow shirts will go out on the streets to help people whose lives have been affected by the earthquake.  The Mormon Helping Hands program brings together members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their neighbors to provide community service.

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