About ADRA
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is an independent Christian humanitarian agency. Following the ethos of the Seventh-day Adventist Church it was established for the specific purposes of individual and community development and disaster relief. ADRA fulfils this primary directive of its charter without regard to race, gender, and political or religious affiliation.
ADRA-UK depends solely on public donations and income earned on projects. Your donation will help us to continue to do our work helping people that need it most.
The “Adventist” in Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is reflective of the fact that the Seventh-day Adventist Church established this independent, humanitarian agency. The values that shaped the agency are the traditional Christian values of the potential of each individual to reflect the compassionate image of God, the dignity that is inherent in every person, and the importance of quality in human life. ADRA-UK meets needs without regard to an individual’s religious affiliation, helping those who need it most.
ADRA does not proselytize. It operates and is motivated by love that has no strings attached. The Christian ethos in ADRA programme activities is expressed when it reaches out to those in need regardless of race, gender, and political, or religious affiliation. ADRA operates in more than 125 countries worldwide and has an established track record of working in harmony with and respecting a broad array of cultures, traditions, and people of non-Christian faith. The positive impact of ADRA’s contribution in all these countries validates our heritage and belief in benevolent giving.
Our Work
ADRA does not directly run projects within the UK. We have a close partnership with Adventist Community Services (ACS) and the local Adventist churches who we support and help direct to implement local community projects by providing technical expertise and access to funding.
ADRA-UK’s financial statement is audited annually in line with Charity Commission regulations. Our office is responsible for coordinating audits for the projects we are funding. ADRA-UK’s responsibilities include monitoring and arranging external audits for projects funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office (FCDO) and the European Commission (EC). ADRA-UK is audited by Moore Kingston Smith LLP in St Albans, England.
ADRA cannot provide financial assistance to individuals. We work directly with communities through projects implemented by our partner offices.
In some instances ADRA is not active in emergencies that happen. Only when a viable ADRA office is on the ground with an active team can it respond. ADRA-UK can only accept donations when the ADRA International Emergency Response Team has initiated a response on the ground. We cannot send donations overseas without a project engagement as we could not assure transparency and accountability.
ADRA is sometimes featured on TV, in newspapers, and on Web listings. In covering relief and development work the news media will often use the blanket terms “aid agencies” or “humanitarian agencies” to cover all the organisations responding. Some identify only those agencies with generic names that describe the work we each do. Also, in today’s fast-paced news industry, an agency may be featured for only a few seconds.
Absolutely. There are many components that lead to a situation in which families in poverty have many children. ADRA is addressing those components with various programs that assist in the well-being of mothers and children worldwide. ADRA’s mother and child health programs provide medical aid and teach child spacing, and adult literacy classes educate mothers and fathers on the benefits of smaller families.
Your Giving
ADRA-UK strives to make the best use of every penny received. In excess of 90 percent of funds raised through our annual ADRA Appeal in the UK are used for direct humanitarian services, among the highest percentages in the humanitarian industry. ADRA-UK takes seriously our responsibility to manage, in a wise and efficient manner, the gifts entrusted to us by our donors.
Monetary donations are the best, as they allow ADRA to immediately purchase specific items that survivors need. Most essential relief goods, such as medicines, temporary shelter, tools, clothing, blankets, and latrines, can be purchased locally or in neighbouring countries at a lower price. Purchasing them locally not only helps provide these items quickly but also helps stimulate the economy in the disaster area.
ADRA does not have the capacity to accept material donations. Often, unsolicited goods like used clothes and canned goods clog transportation routes which hinder supplies from being received at shipping ports. You might consider selling any items and donating the proceeds to ADRA.
Your church keeps all donations confidential. Donations made through your church or local conference are given to ADRA in a lump sum with no donation details attached and as such we are not able to issue receipts. We are also unable to claim Gift Aid on any donations not made directly to ADRA. If you wish to receive a receipt or Gift Aid your donation, you can mail your monetary donation, give by phone or donate online at any time.
We don’t have any projects in which we help ONLY one group or another. If we discriminated, you’d have a village where some children would get food, clothes, and clean water, and other children would be hungry, naked, and thirsty. Instead, we follow Christ’s example of helping those who need it most, no matter their background. That way, we demonstrate His unconditional love. ADRA’s mission is to provide assistance without regard to religious, political, or ethnic background. Because we follow this mandate faithfully, we are sometimes the only humanitarian agency able to reach people in need.
