Church encourages members worldwide to serve locally

In the last year or so, the Welfare Department of the Church has placed a renewed emphasis on reaching out to local communities. Specifically, members are encouraged to look at local needs before sending materials to the LDS Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City. The Humanitarian Service section of LDS.org, under “What You Can Do,” suggests that those interested in doing humanitarian service look around their communities: “What needs or challenges do you see or hear about?” it reads. “If you identify a need in your community but cannot find an established program that addresses this need, take the initiative to find a solution.”