The Church Welfare Plan

With the organization of the Church Security Plan (renamed the Church Welfare Plan in 1938), people were given the opportunity to work, to the extent of their ability, for the assistance they received. The plan taught people to turn to themselves for a "hand up" rather than to other sources for a handout.

"Our primary purpose was to set up … a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift and self-respect be once more established amongst our people," President Grant said during the October 1936 general conference. "Work is to be re-enthroned as the ruling principle of the lives of our Church membership."4

Over the years, the Church's welfare system has included many programs: Social Services (now LDS Family Services), LDS Charities, Humanitarian Services, and Emergency Response. These programs and others have blessed the lives of hundreds of thousands both in and out of the Church.