Latter-day Saint Charities Becomes Largest Private Donor to UNICEF COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts

Latter-day Saint Charities, the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has committed a US$20 million grant to support UNICEF’s global COVID-19 response. The funding will support the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and its vaccine distribution arm, the COVAX Facility, which aims to provide 2 billion doses to 196 participating countries and economies by the end of 2021.

This donation builds on a previous US$3 million contribution from 2020 that facilitated UNICEF’s urgent COVID-19 response, including water, sanitation, and hygiene services. The new grant will help strengthen cold and supply chains, train health workers, address misinformation, and build trust in vaccines and health systems worldwide.

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore noted that the grant from Latter-day Saint Charities is the largest private-sector donation to date for COVAX, emphasizing the urgent need for global collaboration to ensure equitable vaccine access. Bishop Gérald Caussé, Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, expressed hope that the donation would allow critical health, nutritional, and educational services to resume for children in vulnerable communities.

Latter-day Saint Charities has a long-standing partnership with UNICEF, dating back to 2013, supporting immunization, emergency response, and the education and development needs of children and families worldwide.