How can humanitarian organizations respond more effectively to both natural disasters and systemic inequities around the globe? What is the role of empathy, listening, and local leadership in disaster response?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Sharon Eubank, Executive Director of Humanitarian Services of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sharon discusses:

• How the Church’s humanitarian mission is an outward expression of faith, guided by the principle of loving all people regardless of geography, faith, or politics.
• The global priority of supporting children under five, including maternal health, vaccinations, nutrition, clean water, and early development.
• How public health leadership from women in the 1800s shaped their modern initiatives.
• Why development efforts must be locally led and how assumptions from outside can lead to ineffective or even harmful aid.
• The impact of intensifying global disasters and responding to seven “100-year” disasters in just one year.
• The scale of their work: over 3,800 projects, $1.45 billion spent, and 6.6 million volunteer hours across 192 countries.
• Her new book, Doing Small Things with Great Love, and the key principle that “money is only half the answer.”
• Her leadership principle: “My solution to your problem will always be wrong. The answer is inside you.”
• How anyone can start helping by simply visiting their local school or city council and asking, “What do you need?”

References:

• LDS Humanitarian Services Website
• Get Sharon’s brand new book!