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The LDS Church has made a $1 million donation to the American Red Cross, helping it "respond immediately to the needs of individuals and families impacted by disaster anywhere in the United States," the agency announced.
The church also donated $500,000 worth of goods and services, a Red Cross news release said. The donations are part of the agency's Annual Disaster Giving Program. Officials said the church recently joined a group of "elite corporations and organizations" that partner to fund the program — including companies such as Disney, FedEx and Wells Fargo.
"The generosity of the LDS Church empowers the Red Cross to give hope to people when they need it most," Heidi Ruster, CEO of the agency's Utah-Nevada region, said in a statement. "They are truly national leaders in disaster response."
The $1.5 million in church donations will help create "reliable funding needed to deliver swift relief — enabling the Red Cross to respond at a moment's notice with trained volunteers, supplies from their stocked warehouses, emergency response vehicles and resources, to transform community sites into shelters," the agency said. The Red Cross responds to more than 70,000 disasters each year.
Officials said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Red Cross have worked together for more than 30 years. In 2015, the Utah-based faith donated $1.8 million to the Red Cross — the net proceeds from its film "Meet the Mormons."
"The bottom line is, if there's a fire, they're there. If there's a disaster, they're there," Bruce Muir, the LDS Church's humanitarian response director, said in a statement. "This donation will support their efforts to extend relief to many families and individuals in need."
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