2024 Year in Review

2/5/2025

responding with compassion around the world

Dear Church,

During the month of February, many congregations across the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will take up a special offering, joining in the mission and ministry of Week of Compassion. For over 80 years, Week of Compassion has been the Church’s relief, refugee, and sustainable development ministry, working with partners to alleviate suffering throughout the world.

As your church participates in this offering, I also invite you to join in prayer for our partners and the people we serve across the globe. Now more than ever, the work of Week of Compassion is urgently needed.

Each year, we witness an increase in the frequency and intensity of disasters—wildfires in Southern California, hurricanes impacting the Carolinas and Georgia, typhoons in the Pacific, all in just the past few months. At the same time, conflicts continue to force people from their homes in places like Ukraine, the Middle East, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and many more.

In addition to these growing crises, many of the life-saving programs our partners provide are facing significant funding cuts from governmental sources. While Week of Compassion does not receive direct government funding, many of our partners rely on it to sustain critical relief efforts. Our humanitarian response is not done in isolation – we depend on a global network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith communities, local organizations, and intergovernmental agencies to provide immediate relief and long-term recovery. This interconnected work is vital to restoring lives and rebuilding communities.

Below you will see the list of our response efforts in 2024. We celebrate the places where, together as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we have provided food, clean water, education, medicine, peacebuilding, recovery of homes and livelihoods, and fostered stronger, more resilient communities. Behind each response are real people – individuals and families whose lives have been touched by your generosity.

Because of your faithful giving, 100% of all contributions to Week of Compassion go directly to our partners for relief efforts. In 2024 alone, we distributed over $3.1 million in grants – both here at home and across the world. We are grateful that our operational costs are covered by the generosity of our endowment and investment returns. While we do have administrative expenses, we are blessed to be in a position where your donations go entirely toward helping those in need.

I am deeply grateful for the work we do together as the Church. In these times of great uncertainty and need, the world needs the Church’s compassion more than ever. Thank you for being part of Week of Compassion and for making a tangible difference in so many lives.

With gratitude and hope,