Church welfare efforts have three general aims: to care for the needy, to help people become more self-reliant, and to provide opportunities for giving and service. The foundation of Church welfare is to help people help themselves.

"The real long-term objective of the Welfare Plan is the building of character in the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after all is the mission and purpose and reason for being of this Church" (Elder Albert E. Bowen, The Church Welfare Plan (Gospel Doctrine Course of Study), 1946)).