Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Why Freedom and Tradition Still Matter: A New Book From TFAS Senior Scholar Donald Devine
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Fund for American Studies issued the following news:
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Why Freedom and Tradition Still Matter: A New Book from TFAS Senior Scholar Donald Devine
The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) is pleased to announce the release of a new book by Senior Scholar Dr. Donald J. Devine, "Thinking About Freedom and Tradition: Understanding the Philosophers Who Make the Case for Western Civilization." At a time when civic literacy and historical understanding are increasingly fragile, Devine's latest work offers a timely guide to the ideas that shaped liberty--and why they still
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Fund for American Studies issued the following news:
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Why Freedom and Tradition Still Matter: A New Book from TFAS Senior Scholar Donald Devine
The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) is pleased to announce the release of a new book by Senior Scholar Dr. Donald J. Devine, "Thinking About Freedom and Tradition: Understanding the Philosophers Who Make the Case for Western Civilization." At a time when civic literacy and historical understanding are increasingly fragile, Devine's latest work offers a timely guide to the ideas that shaped liberty--and why they stillmatter today.
As a longtime scholar, teacher and public servant, Devine brings decades of experience to the question at the heart of the book: how freedom and tradition work together to sustain a free society, deepening the intellectual foundations of conversations in today's complicated world.
Inside Thinking About Freedom and Tradition
"Thinking About Freedom and Tradition" is Devine's 12th book, following "Ronald Reagan's Enduring Principles: How They Can Promote Political Success Today," published in 2023. This latest book offers a concise and compelling introduction to some of the most influential thinkers who shaped western civilization and continue to influence public policy, civic thought and the future of American liberty. Readers are guided through the minds of thinkers such as F.A. Hayek, Edmund Burke, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Abraham Lincoln, Joseph Schumpeter and many others, whose ideas laid the foundation for limited government, equal rights, the rule of law and free-market institutions.
In an age when classics are often dismissed, Devine's book invites readers to engage with the great thinkers who shaped the West and still have much to teach. He traces the philosophical roots of freedom, from Aristotle to Aquinas, Locke to Lincoln, Burke to Hayek, exploring how the ideas of Western Civilization formed the institutions that protect liberty.
A Scholar Dedicated to Teaching Civics
Devine's career spans academia, public service and civic education. He began as an associate professor at the University of Maryland, where he taught courses in American government and politics, public opinion, democratic theory, methodology and philosophy of science. He later left academia to serve as civil service director for President Ronald Reagan during his first term, working to reform the federal government also in several advisory appointments, including one in Donald Trump's first term, and advising Congressional policymakers including Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and other national leaders.
Throughout his career, Devine has remained focused on the relationship between ideas and institutions and how philosophical principles shape real-world governance. He taught Western civilization and was director of the Federalist Leadership Center at Bellevue University for a decade, served as a columnist for The Washington Times, was editor of the American Conservative Unions' Conservative Battleine and was a contributor to The American Spectator, Law & Liberty, Modern Age and other magazines, as well as an Adjunct Scholar at the Heritage Foundation.
Today, as a TFAS Senior Scholar, Devine continues this work by teaching students how freedom and tradition are harmonized within the American constitutional system, particularly surrounding the ideas of fusionism. His seminars challenge students to engage seriously with the philosophical roots of liberty and to see civic education as an active responsibility, not a passive inheritance.
Advancing the TFAS Mission Through Enduring Ideas
Devine's scholarship reflects the core of the TFAS mission: how free societies govern themselves and cultivate responsible citizens. He helps students - and readers alike - understand not just what freedom is, but why it matters. Since 2011, Devine has continued to teach young people these ideals at TFAS. His seminars take students on a journey through human history, reviving the Constitution and what Reagan called the secret of its success: the way it harmonized freedom and tradition in its fragile balance called federalism.
Through his work with TFAS, Devine advances the same depth of understanding that TFAS programs aim to instill in students: a serious engagement with the ideas that sustain a free society. His previous works discuss classic philosophical thought in a way that resonates with the next generation of leaders, emphasizing TFAS's commitment to equipping courageous leaders to protect and advance the ideas of individual liberty, personal responsibility and economic freedom in their communities.
Essential Reading for Understanding Freedom Today
During America's 250th, civic understanding is more important than ever. Devine's work offers a clear reminder: freedom endures only when its ideas are understood, taught and defended.
"Thinking About Freedom and Tradition: Understanding the Philosophers Who Make the Case for Western Civilization (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GGGPV1WX?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_VD9YNZ3982ZAWHH9HVE6&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_VD9YNZ3982ZAWHH9HVE6&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cp_ud_dp_VD9YNZ3982ZAWHH9HVE6&bestFormat=true)" is available now. Hear more from Dr. Donald Devine on the Liberty + Leadership Podcast.
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Original text here: https://tfas.org/news/why-freedom-and-tradition-still-matter-a-new-book-from-tfas-senior-scholar-donald-devine/
[Category: Sociological]
Second Federal Citation at Florida Primate Facility Raises Alarms About U.S. Monkey Import Pipeline
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Center for a Humane Economy posted the following news release on March 20, 2026:
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Second Federal Citation at Florida Primate Facility Raises Alarms About U.S. Monkey Import Pipeline
Incident involving a discarded monkey during quarantine highlights systemic failures, public health risks, and urgent need to modernize research
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The Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action today condemned a second federal citation issued to a Florida-based primate import and quarantine facility, where a monkey was mistakenly discarded into a waste container, transported
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Center for a Humane Economy posted the following news release on March 20, 2026:
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Second Federal Citation at Florida Primate Facility Raises Alarms About U.S. Monkey Import Pipeline
Incident involving a discarded monkey during quarantine highlights systemic failures, public health risks, and urgent need to modernize research
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The Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action today condemned a second federal citation issued to a Florida-based primate import and quarantine facility, where a monkey was mistakenly discarded into a waste container, transportedoff-site, and later euthanized.
The incident occurred at a BC US LLC facility in Immokalee, Florida, that had already received a prior critical citation after two monkeys died from extreme heat exposure. The latest violation involved an imported nonhuman primate who should have been under strict quarantine and monitoring following international transport.
This episode is not an isolated error, but a stark illustration of systemic failures in the U.S. primate import pipeline.
"This is not just a tragic mistake--it is a warning sign about a system that is fundamentally broken," said Tamara Drake, director of research and regulatory policy at the Center for a Humane Economy. "We are importing primates from overseas, placing them into high-stress quarantine environments, and then seeing preventable failures that result in suffering, death, and biosecurity risks. This incident raises serious questions about whether this pipeline is defensible at all."
Federal regulations require imported primates to undergo quarantine due to the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. The mishandling of an animal during this critical containment period underscores broader concerns about oversight, compliance, and public health protections.
"The U.S. primate import system is under strain from every angle--animal welfare, disease risk, and supply chain integrity," said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action. "When a monkey can effectively disappear into the medical waste stream during federally mandated quarantine, it demonstrates a level of dysfunction that should prompt immediate federal review."
The organizations noted that the United States continues to rely on imported primates for biomedical research despite growing scientific consensus that animal models--particularly nonhuman primates--often fail to predict human outcomes.
"Advances in modern science are rapidly making animal testing obsolete, particularly for complex human diseases where primate models routinely mislead researchers," said Dr. Zaher Nahle, senior scientific advisor for Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. "Human-based methods--such as organoids, organ-on-chip systems, and computational modeling--offer more predictive, ethical, and scalable alternatives. Incidents like this should accelerate the transition away from imported primates and toward 21st-century science."
The groups are calling for:
* A federal investigation into the Florida facility and similar primate import operations
* A review by the CDC and HHS of the current primate quarantine and import system
* A ban on primate imports in favor of human-relevant research methods
"This is a moment for accountability and course correction," Drake said. "We should not be sustaining a system that is risky, unreliable, and increasingly unnecessary."
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Center for a Humane Economy is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) whose mission is to help animals by helping forge a more humane economic order. The first organization of its kind in the animal protection movement, the Center encourages businesses to honor their social responsibilities in a culture where consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders abhor cruelty and the degradation of the environment and embrace innovation as a means of eliminating both. The Center believes helping animals helps us all. Twitter: @TheHumaneCenter
Animal Wellness Action is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) whose mission is to help animals by promoting laws and regulations at federal, state and local levels that forbid cruelty to all animals. The group also works to enforce existing anti-cruelty and wildlife protection laws. Animal Wellness Action believes helping animals helps us all. Twitter: @AWAction_News
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Original text here: https://centerforahumaneeconomy.org/second-federal-citation-at-florida-primate-facility-raises-alarms-about-u-s-monkey-import-pipeline/
[Category: Animals]
MAZON: Members of Congress, Advocacy Leaders Gather for 17th Annual National Hunger Seder on Capitol Hill
ALBERT LEA, Minnesota, March 21 -- MAZON, an organization that say it fights to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the U.S. and Israel, issued the following news:
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Members of Congress, Advocacy Leaders Gather for 17th Annual National Hunger Seder on Capitol Hill
With millions of Americans facing unprecedented threats and cuts to food assistance, Members of Congress, faith leaders, and anti-hunger experts came together on Capitol Hill this week for MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger's 17th annual National Hunger Seder. The event celebrated the upcoming Passover holiday
... Show Full Article
ALBERT LEA, Minnesota, March 21 -- MAZON, an organization that say it fights to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the U.S. and Israel, issued the following news:
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Members of Congress, Advocacy Leaders Gather for 17th Annual National Hunger Seder on Capitol Hill
With millions of Americans facing unprecedented threats and cuts to food assistance, Members of Congress, faith leaders, and anti-hunger experts came together on Capitol Hill this week for MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger's 17th annual National Hunger Seder. The event celebrated the upcoming Passover holidaywhile calling attention to nationwide hunger, with multiple speakers highlighting the importance of protecting Americans' basic needs.
MAZON President & CEO Abby J. Leibman stated:
"As it has done for nearly two decades, the National Hunger Seder provided an opportunity for leaders in the anti-hunger movement -- advocates and elected officials alike -- to use the lessons of Passover to strengthen our resolve and renew our commitment to ending hunger. We shared ancient words and rituals that still resonate with hope and bind us together in these challenging times. When we sang Hineh Ma Tov (how good it is to be together), the words set the stage for an experience of warmth, truth, and justice for all those facing hunger in this country. While grounded in the Jewish faith, it was a moment to recall that the different faiths of those gathered around the table echo our own demand that no one go hungry. It will take all of us to make that a reality."
This year's National Hunger Seder was hosted in conjunction with the bipartisan House Hunger Caucus, which is co-chaired by Reps. Jim McGovern (MA-02) and Tracey Mann (KS-02). The event was also attended by Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Steve Cohen (TN-09), and Jerrold Nadler (NY-10).
Seder participants, who included several members of MAZON's Board of Directors and national partners, read from MAZON's 2026 Hunger Seder Haggadah, which frames the Passover rituals around hunger issues. Alongside Ms. Leibman and MAZON Board Chair Carolyn Schwarz Tisdale, the Seder was led by MAZON Immediate Past Board Chair Rabbi Joel Pitkowsky.
"I appreciate all the advocacy that everyone around this table does to try to end hunger, not only in this country but around the world," stated Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-02) while addressing the Seder. "I'm ashamed, quite frankly, that in our country 47 million Americans don't know where their next meal is gonna come from. That's a political decision, and we should be ashamed of that. But you give me hope. You keep hope alive, and I appreciate that. Working here, sometimes you feel a little overwhelmed and a little hopeless, and then every once in a while, you get together with people like those around this table and think, we can do this. We can get through this."
"It is critical that we commit to making other people's lives better," stated Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25). "Being very conscious about coming together in this way and speaking the problem out loud helps each of us internalize what a significant problem this is. It cannot be discussed enough how devastating the cuts from that legislation last summer were, and our actions have consequences."
"This is always a humbling experience for me because it's just a reminder of how basic this conversation is and how we are all aligned and connected by it," stated Rep. Jahana Hayes (CT-05). "It's your work, your presence at this Seder, and these opportunities are reinforcement, acknowledgement, and encouragement for me as I am sometimes screaming into the wind to make people understand that this is important. But what you all do is help to add color and texture to the picture and remind people that we're not just talking about spreadsheets and policy papers. We're talking about real people from every community, in every state, in every congressional district."
"To be in the capital of the United States of America," stated Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10), "to be marking Pesach as a community, as a Jewish community, and to be noting the importance that, as Rabbi Hillel said, 'If not for myself, who will be, but if only for myself, what am I?', that we are looking beyond and addressing hunger. That any, let alone so many, go hungry is a wound to our soul. And we as a country need to continue to do better so that no one goes hungry, that 'May all who are hungry come and eat' not be a statement of Passover but a statement of policy for our country as a whole."
Each year, MAZON also creates and distributes a Fifth Question to accompany the traditional Four Questions of Passover. This year's question, "Am I among those working to ensure that all who are hungry can come and eat?", calls on all of us to take an active role in combating hunger, particularly as an atmosphere of fear, intimidation, and hostility towards vulnerable populations has radiated throughout our communities and permeated our daily lives.
Photos from the National Hunger Seder, including of Members of Congress in attendance, can be found here (https://app.air.inc/a/be698c010/b/790a347d-bdc6-4ac5-9a34-88423f42f958).
The full suite of MAZON's Passover materials, including the 2026 Haggadah and Fifth Question can be found at mazon.org/passover.
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Original text here: https://mazon.org/news/mazon_statements/members-of-congress-advocacy-leaders-gather-for-17th-annual-national-hunger-seder-on-capitol-hill/
[Category: Sociological]
Human Rights First: Failed U.S. Efforts to Turn Back the Clock on Gender Equality at the United Nations Isolate America and Set Americans Back
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- Human Rights First issued the following news:
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Failed U.S. Efforts to Turn Back the Clock on Gender Equality at the United Nations Isolate America and Set Americans Back
Human Rights First denounces recent U.S. efforts to tear down longstanding consensus on gender equality that underpins the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and multilateral cooperation.
Human Rights First President and CEO Uzra Zeya noted, "In a failed attempt to impose its domestic political agenda onto international human rights bodies, the Trump administration adopted
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- Human Rights First issued the following news:
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Failed U.S. Efforts to Turn Back the Clock on Gender Equality at the United Nations Isolate America and Set Americans Back
Human Rights First denounces recent U.S. efforts to tear down longstanding consensus on gender equality that underpins the work of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and multilateral cooperation.
Human Rights First President and CEO Uzra Zeya noted, "In a failed attempt to impose its domestic political agenda onto international human rights bodies, the Trump administration adoptedpositions more extreme than some of the world's most repressive regimes and hit a new low in U.S. isolation on the world stage. The end result is diminished U.S. multilateral influence and a more hostile environment for U.S. and international civil society actors working tirelessly to combat gender discrimination and gender-based violence."
The annual convening of the Commission, which concluded yesterday, has proven an invaluable forum for globally advancing the human rights of women since the adoption by the international community of the ground-breaking Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995. Over the course of the most recent meeting of the Commission, the United States delegation repeatedly sought to undermine terms and conclusions relating to gender and the human rights of women that have been supported by the international community for many decades.These efforts not only threatened to impede the important work of the Commission but further demonstrated the isolated, counterproductive, and unprecedented character of the U.S. approach. Such efforts do not serve the interests of the U.S. or the international community.
Human Rights First applauds successful efforts by other Commission members to defend the longstanding consensus that has served as the backbone of the UN's important work to advance the human rights of women and persons in all their diversity around the world. U.S. and international civil society have a critical role to play in countering U.S. and others' efforts to collapse UN gender protections from within.
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Original text here: https://humanrightsfirst.org/library/failed-u-s-efforts-to-turn-back-the-clock-on-gender-equality-at-the-united-nations-isolate-america-and-set-americans-back/
[Category: Sociological]
Food and Water Watch: Trump's Latest AI Plan Means Only One Thing: More Climate-Killing Fossil Fuels
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release on March 20, 2026:
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Trump's Latest AI Plan Means Only One Thing: More Climate-Killing Fossil Fuels
"The only prudent course of action is to halt the explosive growth of new data center construction now."
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Today the White House released a "national legislative framework" for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the country. The plan purports to address six key objectives, including "safeguarding and strengthening American communities."
In response, Food & Water Watch's policy director,
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 21 -- The Food and Water Watch posted the following news release on March 20, 2026:
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Trump's Latest AI Plan Means Only One Thing: More Climate-Killing Fossil Fuels
"The only prudent course of action is to halt the explosive growth of new data center construction now."
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Today the White House released a "national legislative framework" for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the country. The plan purports to address six key objectives, including "safeguarding and strengthening American communities."
In response, Food & Water Watch's policy director,Jim Walsh, made the following statement:
"This latest AI proclamation from the White House is more of the same nonsense we've been hearing for months - primarily a call for more and more fossil fuel production to support a Big Tech industry that Americans are growing increasingly wary of by the day. Whether they are connected to the power grid or not, more data centers mean more climate-killing fracked gas power plants poisoning our air and water, and more stress placed on local communities' precious water resources.
"The only prudent course of action when it comes to AI is to halt the explosive growth of new data center construction now, so that states and communities have the time needed to properly consider their own futures. It has yet to be determined if - not how - this industry can ever operate in a manner that sufficiently protects people and society from the profusion of inherent harms and hazards that data centers bring wherever they appear."
Last October, Food & Water Watch became the first national organization in the country to call for a full nationwide moratorium on the approval and construction of new data centers. In a letter to Congress in December, more than 230 national, state and local organizations from across the country echoed this call, citing massive and unsustainable consumption by data centers of energy and water resources, and skyrocking utility costs for families and small businesses.
Recently about a dozen states have seen legislation introduced that would enact some type of pause on data construction entirely.
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Original text here: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2026/03/20/trumps-ai-plan-means-only-one-thing-more-climate-killing-fossil-fuels/
[Category: Science]
FFRF Action Fund: 'Secularist' Okla. AG Criticizes the Favoring of a Religious Charter School
MADISON, Wisconsin, March 21 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on March 20, 2026:
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'Secularist' Okla. AG criticizes the favoring of a religious charter school
The FFRF Action Fund's "Secularist of the Week" is Oklahoma's attorney general for his pushback against a state board's manipulation of an application to establish the nation's first religious charter school.
AG Gentner Drummond is taking
... Show Full Article
MADISON, Wisconsin, March 21 -- FFRF Action Fund, an organization that says it develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church, posted the following news on March 20, 2026:
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'Secularist' Okla. AG criticizes the favoring of a religious charter school
The FFRF Action Fund's "Secularist of the Week" is Oklahoma's attorney general for his pushback against a state board's manipulation of an application to establish the nation's first religious charter school.
AG Gentner Drummond is takingthe Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board to court, imploring the board to "tell the whole truth" about why it rejected an application to establish the Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School in Oklahoma. Once the religious charter school files a federal lawsuit, the school would have an easier time winning a legal challenge because the board "manipulated the record" and omitted many deficiencies, Drummond argues.
In February, the board rejected Ben Gamla's application and listed all its reasons for the denial. However, at its meeting last week set to consider the school's revised application, Chairman Brian Shellem steered board members to cite only religion as the reason for the denial. Drummond has asked an Oklahoma County district judge to order the board to issue a new and complete rejection letter listing all valid grounds for denying the school, including major deficiencies in the school's projected enrollment rate and the makeup of the school's founding board.
"The board has announced plans to hire outside legal counsel to defend a threatened federal lawsuit, and it manipulated the record to make that lawsuit easier to lose -- not win," Drummond asserts. "A state agency that deliberately hobbles its own legal position is not doing its job -- it is betraying Oklahoma taxpayers. I will not allow that."
Drummond also pointed out that the questions concerning religion were settled by the Oklahoma and U.S. Supreme Courts after Drummond opposed the board's previous attempt to establish a Catholic charter school in the state. The Oklahoma Supreme Court agreed with Drummond and struck down the religious charter school, and a deadlocked U.S. Supreme Court also upheld the state ruling. The FFRF Action Fund made Drummond "Secularist of the Week" then for his response to the proposed religious charter school.
The board has stated that it has had no choice but to comply with the state Supreme Court's ruling and vote against the Ben Gamla application. And Shellem has contended that the board is preparing to argue in the religious charter school's favor once the issue is in federal court. The First Liberty Institute, an ultraconservative Christian organization, will serve as the board's legal representation in the case.
"This board is playing politics with the taxpayers' money," Drummond has said. "The revised Ben Gamla application had multiple serious flaws, which this board itself identified just weeks earlier. But instead of doing its job and listing every valid reason for rejection, the board deliberately suppressed those findings to manufacture a cleaner path to federal court. I will not allow this board to rig the record at taxpayers' expense."
FFRF Action Fund thanks Drummond for his response to the dubious Ben Gamla rejection, which sets up the religious charter school for an easier win in federal court. Public funds should not be used to fund religious schools -- and the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board's efforts to erode state-church separation need to be called out.
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FFRF Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization that develops and advocates for legislation, regulations and government programs to preserve the constitutional principle of separation between state and church. It also advocates for the rights and views of nonbelievers, endorses candidates for political office, and publicizes the views of elected officials concerning religious liberty issues.
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Original text here: https://ffrfaction.org/secularist-okla-ag-criticizes-the-favoring-of-a-religious-charter-school/
[Category: Sociological]
Church Hosts US Caring Roundtable Discussions
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 21 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release:
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Church Hosts US Caring Roundtable Discussions
Faith and humanitarian leaders discuss tools for sustainable peacemaking
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Using the recently released Caring for Those in Need 2025 Report as a backdrop, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted several roundtable discussions in the United States this week for local, national and global humanitarian collaborators of its humanitarian organization, Latter-day Saint Charities. The events were held in Los Angeles,
... Show Full Article
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 21 -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued the following news release:
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Church Hosts US Caring Roundtable Discussions
Faith and humanitarian leaders discuss tools for sustainable peacemaking
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Using the recently released Caring for Those in Need 2025 Report as a backdrop, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted several roundtable discussions in the United States this week for local, national and global humanitarian collaborators of its humanitarian organization, Latter-day Saint Charities. The events were held in Los Angeles,Washington, D.C., and New York City.
According to the report, the Church of Jesus Christ aided those in need in 196 countries and territories, showing its global reach. Church members volunteered 7.4 million hours of service, and expenditures totaled $1.58 billion.
"This is a beautiful example of the kind of collaboration that we hope to have across political boundaries," said Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, who participated in the roundtable at the Los Angeles Temple Visitors' Center in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. The roundtable coincided with the 184th anniversary of the Relief Society, the Church's organization for women.
"We are brothers and sisters who have needs, and so we will, with joy, recognize those needs and work together shoulder to shoulder to seek to address them," said President Johnson.
In Los Angeles, the roundtable highlighted the collaborative efforts of nongovernmental agencies (NGOs), churches and governments in addressing global needs. Success stories were shared from Guinea, Myanmar and the Philippines, where projects such as water wells and school infrastructure were implemented.
The meeting concluded with a call for continued collaboration and the introduction of the JustServe app to facilitate local service opportunities.
Tools for Sustainable Peacemaking
The Church of Jesus Christ is working to be a peacemaker through humanitarian giving and collaboration.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the Church Office of Public and International Affairs hosted the first session of its Peacemaking Series, titled "Tools for Sustainable Peacemaking: An Invitation to Learn and Exchange," at the Milton A. Barlow Center in Washington, D.C.
The opening session focused on humanitarian action as a pathway to peacemaking.
Sharon Eubank, the outgoing director of Humanitarian Services for the Church, and Elissa Gifford, the incoming director, participated on the panel with global leaders Barron Segar of World Food Program USA, Jess Leinwand of UNICEF USA and Matthew Saxton of ShelterBox USA. Together, they addressed questions about peacemaking and sustainable humanitarian efforts.
Eubank opened the discussion by explaining that the Church's humanitarian efforts have grown significantly through multilateral partnerships and community engagement. She also emphasized the importance of individual responsibility in peacemaking, noting that small, everyday acts of compassion matter.
"Each of us can make a commitment to build peace," she said, encouraging attendees to treat others with dignity, learn their names and serve them in meaningful ways.
Gifford reported on key takeaways from the Church's 2025 report, including hundreds of clean water, emergency relief, health care, education, food security and mobility projects, along with key measures of their impact.
Segar, who has served as the president and CEO of World Food Program USA since 2020, spoke about the importance of involving people in service. He highlighted World Food Program's Zero Hunger Generation program, which engages young individuals in addressing global hunger. Segar also pointed to the JustServe platform as a way for people to easily find opportunities to help in their own communities. He noted that these kinds of programs and platforms expand impact and unite diverse groups toward a common goal.
As chief legal officer for UNICEF USA, Leinwand addressed the role of trust in peacebuilding, explaining that it begins with consistency and accountability. She described how UNICEF builds trust by delivering essential services such as education, health care and child protection while adhering closely to laws and maintaining transparency.
Saxton, who serves as ShelterBox USA's vice president of development, discussed how ShelterBox creates programs to build bridges rather than divisions. He stressed the importance of working closely with local collaborators to understand needs and involve communities in generating solutions.
"I would first have to say it's the communities themselves that are really responsive," he said.
Eubank said that effective peacemaking starts with listening to communities.
"The solutions don't exist in our offices," she said. "They exist in the hearts of the people themselves. Our role is to uncover those needs, provide access to resources and empower communities to implement solutions. That is the essence of sustainable peace."
Importance of Collaboration
On Thursday, March 19, 2026, the New York Office of Public and International Affairs hosted a roundtable in New York City for more than 20 local, national and global NGO collaborators of Latter-day Saint Charities as well as United Nations officials. The group discussed the importance of collaboration in accomplishing the work of caring for the poor and needy.
Gifford began the discussion by praising the assembled for their efforts to reach out to those in need. "I'm impressed with the variety of backgrounds you bring to this work. We need diversity of backgrounds," she said, adding, "Meaningful change rarely happens in isolation - the most meaningful progress happens when we're working together."
Simona Cruciani, Political Affairs Officer at the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, emphasized that the shared value of human dignity for everyone inspires us in spirit and drives us to action as we reach out to others. Paul Skoczylas, WFP director for Private Partnerships Services at the World Food Programme agreed, saying, "compassion is what brings us together."
Addressing barriers to collaboration, Sarah Bouchie, president and CEO of Helen Keller International, stated that the main barrier to collaboration is competition. "We must avoid focusing on competition," she said, "moving away from competition has made us more resilient."
Michael Nyenhuis, president and CEO of UNICEF USA, explained that he felt like being at the roundtable was like "being inside a living Giving Machine," praising the camaraderie, collaboration and the spirit of goodwill in the room.
Eubank concluded the event by quoting Jacob 2:17, a scripture in the Book of Mormon: "Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you," and encouraged the assembled to make still greater efforts to reach out, help and lift others.
Later that afternoon, Gifford also highlighted the power of collaboration as evidenced in the Caring Report, at a parallel event held in conjunction with the 70th Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations. Co-sponsored by The Hunger Project, the event brought together 50 CSW participants for a workshop on how successful collaboration in humanitarian giving ultimately leads to better outcomes for women and girls.
The Church will host several similar Caring roundtable discussions in London, Brussels and Geneva later this month.
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Original text here: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-hosts-us-caring-roundtable-discussions
[Category: Religion]
