MormonNewsroom.org features stories from its international Newsroom websites to share what leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world are doing to better the communities in which they live.
California, USA: California Honors Latter-day Saint Volunteers for Special Olympics Work
California’s governor has given a service award to members of the Church for their extensive efforts to accommodate, in a multitude of ways, for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Los Angeles last summer.
Latter-day Saints worked behind the scenes to house, shuttle, feed and cheer on the athletes in several sports such as aquatics, basketball, volleyball, golf, powerlifting and gymnastics.
Watch a television news story about the Latter-day Saints’ efforts on the Mormon Newsroom website.
India: Truckload of Beds Improves Orphans’ Lives
Children living in an orphanage in Odisha, in east India, have received a vital contribution from LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Members of the Church loaded mattresses, linens and blankets, kitchen pots and pans and much more in a five-ton truck and delivered them to the 75 children ranging in ages from nine months to 18 years old.
Go to the India Mormon Newsroom website to see how excited the children were to receive these basic items.
Zimbabwe: Water is Life in Africa
Fresh water shot skyward from 51 boreholes bringing celebration and relief to several Zimbabwe communities recently through a coordinated effort by LDS Charities.
In addition to being essential in sustaining life, it is a dependable water supply important to economic growth.
Read about where the water is going on the Zimbabwe Mormon Newsroom website.
Philippines: Mormon Helping Hands Assemble 3,800 Food Kits
Six months of drought in the municipalities of North Cotabato (an island south of Manila) is causing hunger for most families to the point they are eating poisonous wild yams.
Mormon Helping Hands and LDS Charities have responded to the hunger emergency by assembling 3,800 food kits, which included rice, dried fish, soy sauce and noodles.
Go to the Philippines Mormon Newsroom website to read more.
Cambodia: Wheelchairs Help Cambodians Move Forward in Life
The Church, through LDS Charities, has donated wheelchairs, canes, walkers, three-wheeled riders to people in need in several villages.
LDS Charities discovered most of those receiving a wheelchair have never had one. With smiles on their faces the recipients expressed gratitude for the opportunity to move about on their own.
Read more about the donation on the Cambodia Mormon Newsroom website.
Pacific: Church Continues to Fight Diabetes in the South Pacific
Diabetes is a growing worldwide problem according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has begun a 10-year campaign to educate Pacific islanders and help them manage the disease.
Hans Sorensen, area welfare manager for the Church in the Pacific, directs humanitarian services. He says “Diabetes, as a non-communicable disease - which includes cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases - is a leading cause of premature deaths among Pacific islanders.”
Go to the Pacific Mormon Newsroom website to read more about how the Church is helping.