Scrolling through the news these days feels like watching a slow-motion train wreck — climate disasters, wars, hunger and headlines that make you want to throw your phone into the nearest body of water. It’s tempting to tune it all out, but if you’re serious about following Jesus, apathy isn’t an option. In a culture obsessed with self-care, the gospel calls us to something radically different: sacrificial, inconvenient, roll-up-your-sleeves love for people on the margins.
Jesus didn’t just talk about caring for the poor and oppressed — he made it the litmus test for real faith. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40, NIV). If you’re ready to move beyond hashtags and actually do justice, here are five nonprofits that need your support right now. Because faith without action? That’s just noise.
1. Bread for the World
Hunger isn’t just a problem “over there.” In the United States, one in five children faces food insecurity. Globally, the United Nations reports that 783 million people went hungry in 2023 — a number that’s only getting worse due to war, climate change and economic instability.
Bread for the World isn’t just handing out food; the organization is fighting for policy change to end hunger at its roots.
As President Eugene Cho says, “Charity is good, but justice is better. We need both.”
If you want to see your faith move mountains (or at least move Congress), this is your lane.
2. World Relief
Refugees and immigrants are more than just numbers, but the numbers are staggering: More than 117 million people worldwide are forcibly displaced, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
World Relief is one of the few Christian organizations with boots on the ground in crisis zones and resettlement cities, offering everything from emergency aid to job training.
“We believe every person is made in the image of God and deserves a place to belong,” said CEO Myal Greene.
In a world building more walls than bridges, World Relief is doing the hard, holy work of welcome.
3. International Justice Mission
Modern slavery is real, and it’s bigger than ever. Right now, an estimated 50 million people are trapped in slavery — more than at any other time in history.
International Justice Mission is the world’s largest anti-slavery organization, rescuing victims, prosecuting traffickers and reforming broken justice systems. In 2024 alone, the group has helped free more than 10,000 people.
If you want to be part of the generation that actually ends slavery, this is your moment.
Founder Gary Haugen says, “God has a plan to end injustice, and it’s us.”
4. Sole Hope
You think stepping on a Lego is bad? Try living with jiggers — parasitic sand fleas that burrow into your feet, causing pain, infection and even disability. In Uganda, thousands of children miss school and adults can’t work because of this preventable problem.
Sole Hope is on the ground, providing medical care, shoes and education. The World Health Organization estimates more than 2.7 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are affected by jiggers every year.
“We’re not just removing jiggers,” said Sole Hope’s founder, Dru Collie. “We’re restoring dignity and hope.”
If you want to make a tangible difference, this is it — one pair of shoes at a time.
5. Living Water International
Here’s a stat to ruin your next $7 oat milk latte: 703 million people still lack access to safe drinking water.
That’s one in 10 people. Every day, nearly 1,000 children die from water-related diseases.
Living Water International is drilling wells, teaching hygiene and sharing the gospel in some of the world’s most water-stressed regions.
As Jesus said, “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink” (Matthew 25:35). Clean water is life — and Living Water is making it happen.
Why It Matters
It’s easy to scroll past the suffering. But Jesus didn’t. He got his hands dirty. He fed the hungry, healed the sick and called out the religious folks who ignored the poor. In Luke 4:18, he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” If we’re serious about following him, we can’t just talk about justice — we have to do justice.
So, skip the extra streaming service this month. Maybe even (gasp) make your own coffee. And give. Because the world doesn’t need more opinions — it needs more people who actually care enough to act.
As Dr. Cornel West famously said, “Justice is what love looks like in public.” Let’s make it obvious.
