Church of Jesus Christ Links with Caritas Manila to Help Feed Malnourished Children

In a bid to help end child malnutrition in the Philippines, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints turned over ₱4 million (US$70,000) to Caritas Manila, a non-profit organization that serves as the lead social service and development arm of the Catholic Church in the country.

The donated ₱4 million is expected to provide six months' worth of daily supplemental meals, vitamins and hygiene kits for over 1,000 children in different parts of Metro Manila, among other similarly worthy endeavors.

Last 19 October 2023, Church and Caritas Manila representatives met in a special turnover luncheon at the Manila Philippines Administration Office of the Church in Quezon City. Elder Carlos G. Revillo Jr., 2^nd Councilor to the Philippines Area Presidency, presided over the event, with Rev. Fr. Anton CT Pascual, Executive Director of Caritas Manila, attending as the most distinguished guest.

Other notable officers from Caritas Manila also participated in the luncheon, including Ms. Gilda Garcia, Program Head for Health, Crisis and Disaster Management, and Ms. Rye Zotomayor, Financial Stewardship Head.

In a short message, Ms. Garcia laid out the growing concern of malnutrition in the Philippines. Quoting national studies about food dependence in the country, Garcia said that an average of 95 children in the Philippines die from hunger daily, noting that in Metro Manila alone, 2.6 million children experience involuntary hunger every single day.

“The reality is millions of Filipino children continue to suffer from malnutrition, hindering their growth, development and future prospects,” Garcia said.

Meanwhile, Rev. Fr. Pascual expressed his gratitude for the Church and its partnership with Caritas Manila, saying both groups participate in humanitarian efforts because they are “faith-rooted and love-driven” organizations.

“Perfect humanism is charity because it is rooted in our Lord Jesus Christ, expressed powerfully in acts of love, compassion and going out of our comfort zones in helping the poor help themselves,” he said.

“We are here to thank you once more for your partnership... We express our gratitude to the Church of Jesus Christ, and hopefully, we can do more projects in the future, and may God bless you more,” he added.

In his concluding message, Elder Revillo explained to the guests that the donated sum came from contributions of members of the Church from all walks of life, likening the donation to Christ’s parable – the “widow’s mite,” a famous parable regarding an act of perfect love and sacrifice.

“Many of the members of the Church are also poor. Yet they give what little they have. Members of the Church, once a month, follow the Law of the Fast. We fast for two meals and give the amount of what we have saved from those meals to a humanitarian fund or what we call a fast-offering fund,” Elder Revillo shared.

“In our own little way, we could help and partner with Caritas Manila in this very noble project, blessing our little ones, our children. I'm sure our Savior Jesus Christ is very pleased with what we are doing here,” he said.

Apart from the initial ₱4 million donation, the Church also turned over an additional ₱150,000 from ticket sales of the recent multi-concerts of Vocal Point in the Philippines. Vocal Point, Brigham Young University’s all-male acapella group from Utah, USA, performed for thousands of fans in Metro Manila, Baguio, Dumaguete and Cebu in May 2023.

One of the ways The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes the biggest impact is by prioritizing the health and well-being of women and children. Through global food security, immunization, education, refugee response, and maternal and newborn care initiatives, the Church's goal is to help children reach their full potential.

The most successful nutrition programs work through grassroots efforts in local communities, particularly with the involvement of women. The Church is uniquely organized to deliver these types of solutions through ward councils, ministering, and the Relief Society. In addition, the Church works with global organizations to improve nutrition for all children in need.

To learn more about the humanitarian efforts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, click here.