25 ways to help women and children worldwide — starting from your own home

The Relief Society organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in collaboration with a consortium of charities, has been leading out a global initiative that has supported the health and development of more than 52 million women and children worldwide in two years.

Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson said Friday that all individuals can participate in the global initiative by looking for and serving “the one” in their homes and communities.

“There are opportunities, of course, for us to do grand and global work in caring for women and children,” President Johnson said.

The consortium of seven charities working under the church’s Caring for Women and Children Initiative is one example of how the church is committed.

President Johnson added, however, that “there are women who cannot read in your community, and there are children who are hungry in your community. If we’ll each look for the one, that is the way we’ll address these challenges.”

President Johnson called caring for women and children “the work of a loving Heavenly Father who is passionately interested in every one of his children.”

She said, “When you bless the lives of these women and children, you are pursuing his hope and his cause to bring to pass the immortality and happiness for all of his children.”

The church announced a new $65 million donation to fuel the next year of work by its Caring for Women and Children Initiative.

Here are 25 ideas the church has provided on ChurchofJesusChrist.org to help individuals begin “thinking and praying” about how they may care for women and children in their own homes, neighborhoods and communities.

Nutrition

1. Volunteer at or donate to a local food bank, pantry or community meal effort.
2. Talk to your children at mealtimes about the importance of healthy eating habits.
3. Take a nutrition class to learn more about food production and nutrition.
4. Plant a home or community garden and share the produce with your neighbors. Include children in taking care of the garden.
5. Support local farmers to strengthen access to healthy and affordable food options.
6. Share healthy recipes with others through social media or community channels.
7. Work with local leaders or organizations to help your community gain access to clean water, air and food sources.

Education

1. Encourage language development by talking with children early and often.
2. Dance, jump, climb and play with children in whatever way they are able.
3. Set up or join a free library in your community and encourage people to take a book or leave a book.
4. Give a book as a gift to encourage literacy and lifelong learning.
5. Form a reading circle to strengthen reading skills.
6. Serve as a tutor or start a book club at a local shelter, school or community center.
7. Point out and practice letters and reading with children using everyday things, including signs, labels and posters.
8. Create reading habits, such as daily story time or weekly reading nights, where the family all reads together.

Maternal health and newborn care

1. Learn to recognize signs of postpartum depression and help mothers who are struggling get support early.
2. Create a community of support for a new mom by caring for her newborn, running an errand or dropping off a healthy meal.
3. Breastfeed your baby for at least the first six months (when possible) to support infant health.
4. Start a new mom support group to share experience and advice or check in on a new mother to see how she is doing.
5. Donate baby clothes and other baby items to support parents in need.
6. Ensure a private and supportive environment at church and work for mothers who breastfeed or pump.
7. Donate blood, which is often needed during childbirth, to help provide needed medical resources.

Immunizations

1. Prioritize annual checkup visits to receive preventive care and to stay up to date on vaccinations.
2. Offer to give a ride or accompany women and children to immunization or other health visits.
3. Learn one fact about the importance of health care checkups or immunizations and share it with someone else.

A downloadable PDF of these ideas is available here, and more ideas for local service are available on JustServe.org.