Liahona Children's Foundation

[Dave Dixon]

Hi All,

I am a board member for the Liahona Children's Foundation. I'm coming to this pretty late, but I hope those of you on this thread will see this. The Liahona Children's Foundation always works with local church members. Our success depends upon the organization of the church at the local level. Each area (usually a stake) is run by local church members, who receive a small stipend for their work. They screen new church units to determine malnutrition rates, and implement a delivery system for nutritional supplements for LDS kids and their friends under the age of 6. Eliminating malnutrition is seen as many in the international development community as one of the most efficient ways of eliminating poverty (see this article for example).

Currently, we work with Area Presidencies and Area Welfare Managers to operate the program around the world. Thus, our reception largely depends upon these players on a case by case basis. One of the reasons why malnutrition exists in the church is that our local, and even general leadership don't know what malnutrition looks like or the far-ranging impacts it has on one's ability to become self-sufficient. We hope that by raising awareness of this issue with general leadership and local leadership, we can address this issue with the very effective structures and systems the church already has in place.

Concerning finances, anyone can go to our website to look over our financials (http://www.liahonachildren.org/#/about/financial_info). We only have two part-time employees in the U.S., which has come out of necessity because of recent growth. Apart from this and the modest payment to local coordinators, LCF is entirely volunteer run by magnificent people. We always have need for more help, so I hope you will consider joining us. Our board more than covers the administrative costs of the foundation, therefore, we can confidently say that 100% of donations go directly to the kids.

In addition to asking people for donations of time and money, we also invite people to go on Nutritours to see the problem firsthand. You can find more information about that here, though I need to get the page updated.

If any of you have further questions about the foundation, I would be happy to try and address them.

Thanks,

Dave Dixon

[cdowis]

I'm sure someone has already mentioned this, but "the mall" feeds both member and nonmember children with the income from the jobs it provides.  It is a long term solution rather than some temporary handout.

Edited August 25, 2014 by cdowis

[rpn]

Let's assume for the moment that the LDS church in the Western World generates enough fast offering income to prevent malnutrition for every child who belongs to the lds church or whose parents do.   Does it really bless the lives of such members to rely on welfare from the western world?  Do we really want to create a third world second class membership, reliant on someone else for basic needs?  

 

As I have consider this issue over a period of years and through several iterations of criticism of building temples when children starve, I accept the wisdom that church welfare needs should come from the resources in the area of the  need.   It is really clear in reading about NGO efforts around the world that giving other countries what we've decided to grant them, isn't really helping them in the long run.  Giving a fish is NEVER the same as teaching to fish, and teaching is best done not by outsiders but by neighbors who have made it.

 

And I'm glad there are members in more well to do countries who set up non-profits to help fill needs.

[thesometimesaint]

Let's assume for the moment that the LDS church in the Western World generates enough fast offering income to prevent malnutrition for every child who belongs to the lds church or whose parents do.   Does it really bless the lives of such members to rely on welfare from the western world?  Do we really want to create a third world second class membership, reliant on someone else for basic needs?  

 

As I have consider this issue over a period of years and through several iterations of criticism of building temples when children starve, I accept the wisdom that church welfare needs should come from the resources in the area of the  need.   It is really clear in reading about NGO efforts around the world that giving other countries what we've decided to grant them, isn't really helping them in the long run.  Giving a fish is NEVER the same as teaching to fish, and teaching is best done not by outsiders but by neighbors who have made it.

 

And I'm glad there are members in more well to do countries who set up non-profits to help fill needs.

 

We can't teach the Gospel to those with an empty stomach.

[Scott Lloyd]

We can't teach the Gospel to those with an empty stomach.

Which is why I choose to donate to the fast offering and to Church humanitarian services.

[Dave Dixon]

I have seen some recent activity on the forum related to the Liahona Children's Foundation. Again, I am on the board of the foundation and would love to answer any question anyone might have about the foundation. I am still trying to figure the forum out, so I apologize for not following or responding to topics as quickly as I should. Anyway, feel free to ask away.

[Scott Lloyd]

I have seen some recent activity on the forum related to the Liahona Children's Foundation. Again, I am on the board of the foundation and would love to answer any question anyone might have about the foundation. I am still trying to figure the forum out, so I apologize for not following or responding to topics as quickly as I should. Anyway, feel free to ask away.

Another THREAD NECROMANCY ALERT!

[mtomm]

Since you've resurrected this thread, Dave, why don't you just go ahead and explain the Foundation to us.

[Tacenda]

I have seen some recent activity on the forum related to the Liahona Children's Foundation. Again, I am on the board of the foundation and would love to answer any question anyone might have about the foundation. I am still trying to figure the forum out, so I apologize for not following or responding to topics as quickly as I should. Anyway, feel free to ask away.

I'm all ears.  I've donated to it before in the past.  I would love to know if they have programs for people to volunteer in person.