Who we are

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (or ADRA) is the official humanitarian agency of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a 20-million strong community, with hundreds of thousands of churches globally and the world’s largest integrated healthcare and education network.

ADRA is a global network. ADRA offices in over 118 countries are locally registered and recognized. Each country office is registered in the country where it is established and is responsible to a local Board of Directors. As a network, ADRA implements thousands of projects, benefiting millions of people each year—regardless of their ethnicity, political affiliation, gender, or religious association.

Founded in 1956 as the Seventh-day Adventist Welfare Service (SAWS) and renamed ADRA in 1984, the agency has a long and successful history of providing humanitarian relief and implementing development initiatives.

By partnering with communities, organizations, and governments, the ADRA network is able to deliver culturally relevant programs, build local capability for sustainable change and improve the quality of life of millions.

The ADRA network annual program expenses total approximately US$200 million—made possible through private contributions from individuals like you, corporations, foundations, and other entities. It also obtains funding and commodities from governmental and intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations.

ADRA does not proselytize. God’s love in ADRA’s programs is expressed when it reaches out to those in need regardless of race, gender, and political, or religious affiliation. We work in harmony with a broad array of cultures, traditions, and peoples of all faiths, respecting the human dignity of all.