Local Humanitarian Aid Organization, World Help, Provides Over 90 Countries With Disaster and Crisis Relief

World Help is a Christian humanitarian aid organization based in Forest, Virginia that aims to serve the physical and spiritual needs of the impoverished around the world.  

Established in 1991 by Vernon Brewer, World Help serves over 90 countries by providing disaster and crisis relief, as well as assisting in community development. By partnering with organizations already established in areas of need, the Virginia nonprofit is able to provide life-changing aid such as food, medical supplies and equipment, clothing and more.  

“(World Help) started those partnerships a lot of times through our other partners who may know somebody in a different region or through some of the churches that donate to us,” Rachel Godwin, World Help’s assistant director of marketing, said. “A lot of times they’re just so busy actually doing the work that they don’t have time to do the fundraising and get the resources that they need to accomplish that work and that’s where we step in.” 

Not only does World Help provide short-term relief, it also invests in the communities it supports for the long-term. By raising funds to build wells, healthcare clinics and shelters — as well as providing educational and vocational training —World Help ensures that the communities it serves are set up with the tools needed to independently succeed in the future. Moreover, it seeks to support lasting relationships with people in need as its team pursues their calling to spread the Gospel. 

“If we meet those physical needs but don’t give them the spiritual side of things, that’s just a temporary fix,” Godwin said. “So, it’s really when you meet both needs that true transformation can happen.” 

World Help meets spiritual needs through church planting, Bible distribution and other ministry programs, creating an eternal impact on the lives the organization comes in contact with. 

Some of World Help’s most recent outreach efforts include relief for communities impacted by the California wildfires that occurred this winter, as well as victims of September 2024’s Hurricane Helene. The organization has also assisted in planting over 3,600 house churches in Cuba, with over 100,000 believers coming to Christ. Some of its broader-range ministries include child sponsorship programs and assistance for sex-trafficking victims, which provide beneficiaries with the support and resources they need to secure a better future. 

“As Christians, we have been rescued by Christ and so we have an opportunity to show that love back to others and a calling to help people in need,” Godwin said. 

Liberty students and the local community also have opportunities to assist World Help in its mission to show Christ’s love. Donations are a valuable way to contribute, as each dollar goes a long way to provide life-saving medical supplies, food and materials for impoverished communities. 

Students can also volunteer at World Help, sorting mail to and from sponsored children or preparing supplies to be shipped. Regardless of how people serve, they can be certain that they are directly impacting the lives of countless individuals worldwide. Every action, no matter how small it may seem, can help World Help further its motto and mission, which is to offer people “Help for today and hope for tomorrow.” 

Zajonc is a news reporter for the Liberty Champion.