The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
A partner since 2013
Since 2013, UNICEF and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have worked together to improve the health and well-being of the most vulnerable children and mothers around the world. By providing critical support and resources, we are helping ensure every mother and child is protected and healthy and can thrive.
Our long-standing collaboration has created sustainable impact for millions of children and families through UNICEF programmes focused on health, education, nutrition and emergencies.
Programme Spotlight
Neonatal tetanus, a silent but preventable killer, claims the lives of newborns within their first days of life, particularly in settings with unsafe delivery practices and poor umbilical cord care. Through successful vaccination campaigns, both South Sudan and Sudan have achieved Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination (MNTE), a significant public health milestone.
Committed Support for Mothers and Children
UNICEF and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are committed to caring for the most vulnerable children and mothers, with meaningful programming and long-lasting impact.
In 2026, the Church committed their support towards the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), which will support the CNF’s efforts to reach 320 million children and women each year by 2030 with life-changing nutrition programs in high-need countries. These programs focus on preventing undernutrition in partnership with governments, and include training health workers to prevent, recognize and treat undernourished women and children, supporting caregivers with nutrition counseling, providing essential nutrition supplies like multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), vitamin A and deworming medications, and treatment for life-threatening undernutrition.
Since 2013, we have also helped provide measles and polio vaccines, supported the efforts to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus, provided aid to children on the move, responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, supported the early prevention, detection and treatment of acute malnutrition, and strengthened health systems to provide children and mothers with improved access to resilient and inclusive health care. The Church also supports UNICEF's humanitarian action for children in the wake of natural disasters, civil unrest, food insecurity and protracted crises.
From 2018-2024 in response to the devastating refugee crisis in Sudan, we co-created the Learning for Life programme, a multi-year initiative to provide early childhood education to children living in refugee camps in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda.
Thanks to generous contributions from Church members, our collaboration is supporting programmes for mothers and children in 30 countries and counting. UNICEF also works with local Church Area Offices around the world to scale up in communities for sustained impact.
Lighting the World for every child
Every year in November and December, Light the World Giving Machines appear in cities worldwide offering supporters the opportunity to purchase a gift during the holiday season that gives back to mothers and children worldwide.
The red vending machines are sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and 100% of proceeds go to participating organizations. Every year, supporters can purchase UNICEF items such as vaccines to help save lives, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) to combat malnutrition, Baby Resuscitation Kits to ensure child survival, and more items to help mothers and children everywhere.
To date, UNICEF has raised over $2 million through Light the World donations from Church members and supporters. UNICEF operates the world’s largest humanitarian warehouse and uses these donations to distribute supplies where they are needed most.
UNICEF does not endorse any brand, company, organization, product or service.
Last updated: 18 May 2026
