Hope Supporters Active Around the World in the New Year as Well

Although the new year brings heightened expectations and excitement, the international community continues to face challenges due to unstable international affairs, economic stagnation, and the climate crisis. In an era where it is hard to be optimistic about the future, members of the Church of God, who have actively carried out diverse hope-sharing activities as “Hope Supporters” for the global family, are planning activities tailored to each region and season to further accelerate their efforts in 2026 as well.

The worldwide social contribution activities of the Global Hope Supporters, launched in April 2024 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Church of God, are carried out in six major areas: responding to climate change, alleviating poverty and hunger, supporting education, promoting health and well-being, building a sustainable and safe society, and fostering peace, inclusion, and solidarity. These activities systematize and professionalize the volunteer work that the Church of God has continuously carried out since its establishment, aligning it with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are shared tasks of the international community. Volunteer activities conducted in step with various commemorative days throughout the year further amplify their impact.

Here, we look back on the footprints of the Hope Supporters, who have diligently carried love and hope since their launch.¹

1. As of June 2024–October 2025

Toward a Healthy Earth and a Sustainable Society

Climate change responses focus on disaster relief and prevention related to climate disasters, as well as carbon reduction. These efforts help neighbors suffering from disasters intensified by climate change and work toward building a safe society through timely disaster prevention activities. In Los Angeles, United States, where residents suffered massive damage due to wildfires that lasted more than three weeks early last year, members united to donate relief supplies worth USD 45,000 and provided about 200 boxed meals to firefighters and other relief personnel, contributing to the recovery of daily life for disaster victims and encouraging those involved. In July of last year, members from nearby areas carried out recovery activities in Sancheong, Namyangju, and Ulsan, Korea, which were damaged by sudden heavy rainfall, assisting a total of 562 households.

Members also carried out activities to collect flammable materials such as fallen leaves and branches to prevent wildfires during the winter, and cleaned rainwater drainage systems during the rainy season. Park Won-seo, Vice Chair of the Gangdong-gu Council in Seoul, stated, “The Church of God is the first to extend a helping hand wherever help is needed,” and added, “Local governments will also join in future volunteer efforts.”

Representative carbon reduction activities include the “Erasing Plastic Footprints” campaign and the “Forest of Hope” campaign. Members conducted plastic waste collection and separation a total of 108 times across 23 countries, focusing on seas, rivers, and lakes that are directly affected by plastic pollution, as well as residential areas and commercial districts. The total collected weight of plastic waste exceeded 17 tons. At Geumho River Riverside Park in Daegu, Korea, Masian Beach in Incheon, Korea, and Bojinee Dam in Bhaktapur District, Nepal, between 500 and up to 1,000 volunteers—spanning both older and younger generations—participated in cleanups. Such large-scale volunteer service not only directly benefit the local environment but also draw public interest and participation, encouraging a virtuous cycle. Prior to the activities, participants read aloud a “Joint Declaration of Generations” pledging that all generations would work together to create a sustainable environment. Panel exhibitions informing citizens about the dangers of plastic waste and support signature booths encouraging campaign participation were also operated to help raise awareness. At the cleanup site along Cheongdam Stream in Yangju, Korea, Mayor Kang Soo-hyun of Yangju City remarked, “Unlike older generations, the younger generation has difficulty enjoying nature, but thinking that the environment will be cleaned through volunteer efforts makes the future hopeful.”

Tree planting to absorb carbon was also carried out through the “Forest of Hope” campaign. Tree species were selected in consideration of local vegetation, and approximately 18,000 trees were planted in nature reserves, national parks, and neighborhood parks. To protect local forests, invasive species that threaten biodiversity were also removed and cleared. Local governments in areas such as Edmonton, Canada, and Liverpool, Australia, provided ongoing support by supplying trees. Kelly Turturro, Hudson Valley Regional Director of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS-DEC), who participated in tree planting at Stewart State Forest in Orange County, New York, expressed support for the Forest of Hope campaign, stating, “Trees not only absorb carbon but also protect wildlife habitats and greatly help reduce flood damage.”

Efforts to Share Hope and Save Lives

The Church of God carefully looks after every corner of society so that no one is left lonely, embracing the vulnerable through meticulous welfare activities. Around World Day of Social Justice (February 20) and World Food Day (October 16), the Church carries out the “Hold Hope!” campaign to deliver hope to vulnerable groups. This campaign developed from the “Share the Warmth of Lunar New Year/Chuseok With Neighbors” initiative that has been conducted in Korea every Lunar New Year and Chuseok since 2012. Through this campaign, members donate daily necessities to local governments and help with farm labor, closely observing and caring for the lives of their neighbors.

Last year in Korea, goods worth a total of USD 351,700 —including 5,000 sets of food supplies and approximately 5,800 winter blankets—were delivered to about 240 government offices nationwide. Overseas as well, warm-hearted gifts were delivered to a total of 1,452 households in about 40 countries, including Thailand, Greece, and Ghana. Adeboye Bidemi Abdul, Representative of the Executive Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development (LCDA) in Nigeria, expressed gratitude, saying, “Your generous hearts and support will be especially helpful to the elderly and people with disabilities in our community.”

In the cities such as Boseong and Anseong, Korea, members rolled up their sleeves to help alleviate labor shortages during the busy farming season by harvesting kiwis and pruning grapevines. In October of last year, about 100 members from the San Juan Church in Puerto Rico helped harvest approximately 500 kilograms (1,100 lbs)of coffee beans at Hacienda La Guadalupe farm in Utuado.

Blood drives were also actively carried out to alleviate blood shortages in local communities and expand the culture of voluntary non-remunerated blood donation by lowering barriers to participation. In cooperation with blood centers and related institutions, the “Worldwide Blood Drive to Give Life Through the Love of the Passover” was held a total of 236 times. The cumulative volume of donated blood reached approximately 6.3 million milliliters. People of various age groups participated, leading efforts to improve awareness of blood donation. Even in Africa, where blood donation participation rates are generally low, 457 people from 12 countries, including Namibia, Kenya, and Benin, participated, donating a total of over 180,000 milliliters of blood. The active participation in blood donation was met with gratitude from local communities. Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, Johannesburg Ward 74 Councillor in South Africa, said, “You are the first to hold a blood donation event in our area,” and added, “Thank you for introducing another way to save lives.”

A Bright Future Built Through Solidarity and Action

In addition to regular volunteer activities and emergency relief, the Church of God also strives to create an inclusive society and make environmental action a part of daily life through Hope Supporters campaigns that can be practiced in everyday settings, such as “The Words of Mother’s Love That Brings Peace” and “366 Hope Footprint Everyday Action.”

The Words of Mother’s Love That Brings Peace is a campaign that encourages communication and harmony, and reduces conflict and confrontation, through warm greetings and considerate words imbued with Mother’s love, practiced at home, in church, and at workplaces and schools. About 2.2 million people across 133 countries have participated, striving to spread a culture of goodness around them. On the official website, where participants share certification photos and episodes, positive reviews continue, such as, “I greet the security guard every day, and now he greets me first,” and “When I say ‘Good job today’ to my husband after he comes home from work, the atmosphere at home has improved.”

The “366 Hope Footprint Everyday Action” campaign presented a concrete roadmap for daily actions to reduce carbon emissions and encouraged citizen participation. By diversifying campaign content around environmental commemorative days such as World Water Day and Ozone Layer Protection Day, it also succeeded in raising environmental awareness. About 470,000 people in 43 countries participated, reducing approximately 420 kilograms (930 lbs) of carbon emissions.

Humanity is one family living together on the shared foundation of Earth. That is why we must work together to create a world where humanity and nature coexist in harmony. The journey of the Hope Supporters toward a green and healthy Earth and a tomorrow where no one is left behind will continue on a broader scale through networks with governments and institutions in each country, based on the experience gained over a year and a half of activities.

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