The Church of Jesus Christ Donates $25M to UNICEF for Children’s Nutrition

The The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced a $25 million donation to UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) to help tackle maternal and child undernutrition worldwide. The contribution is expected to significantly expand nutrition and healthcare support for millions of vulnerable women and children across developing nations.

Under the CNF Match Challenge mechanism, the church’s $25 million donation will unlock additional matching contributions, bringing the total impact of the initiative to an estimated $50 million. UNICEF says the combined funding will support its long-term goal of scaling sustainable nutrition programs to reach approximately 320 million women and children annually by 2030.

The funding will be directed toward strengthening local healthcare systems and nutrition programs in high-need countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Philippines, and Sierra Leone.

According to UNICEF, the resources will support critical health and nutrition interventions aimed at preventing child malnutrition and improving maternal health outcomes. This includes screening children for life-threatening wasting and ensuring early treatment for severe cases. The initiative will also promote breastfeeding, prenatal care, and healthier complementary diets for infants and young children.

In addition, the program will help provide essential micronutrient supplements, including vitamins and minerals, to pregnant women and infants in underserved communities.

The latest donation further strengthens a humanitarian partnership between the church and UNICEF that has spanned more than a decade. Their collaboration began in 2013 with efforts focused on child immunizations and the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus worldwide.

In 2021, the church contributed $20 million to support the global COVAX vaccine distribution initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. That was followed in 2022 by a $5 million grant that helped launch UNICEF’s “No Time to Waste” global malnutrition campaign.

In 2023, the church allocated another $10 million to reinforce fragile healthcare systems in the Central African Republic, Haiti, Mali, and Mozambique.

UNICEF officials say the new funding arrives at a critical time as many low-income nations continue to face rising food insecurity, inflation, conflict, and climate-related disruptions that threaten maternal and child nutrition programs.