The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is an international humanitarian agency that was established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church as an expression of Christ's example of serving and caring for those in need. Founded in 1956 as the Seventh-day Adventist Welfare Service (SAWS), the agency changed its name to ADRA in 1984 and is now one of the leading non-governmental relief organizations in the world. In 2008 alone it assisted more than 20 million people with USD $120 million in aid. More than 5,000 ADRA staff members and volunteers currently work in more than 100 countries.

In 1997, ADRA received General Consultative Status at the United Nations, which is the highest status available to non-governmental entities. ADRA also continues to received high marks for efficiency from Charity Navigator� and is part of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance�, with over 93 percent of its funding going toward programmatic activity.

Through dedicated full-time staff and local volunteers, ADRA fulfills its mission by touching the lives of God's children regardless of color or creed. The agency is actively engaged in its mission by searching out deprivation, social injustice, and need--then works to eliminate them. ADRA invests in the potential of individuals by; protecting the vulnerable, supporting families, promoting health, providing food and water, establishing livelihoods, and responding to emergencies.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 25 that he expects those who love him to feed the hungry, serve the poor, heal the sick, and assist the disenfranchised of this earth. As new challenges and needs arise, ADRA continues to strive to realize its mission of reflecting God's love through compassionate acts of humanitarian service and remains dedicated to Changing the World, One Life at a Time.

Go to ADRA's web site.