In 1945, Dr. Lotta Hitschmanova (1909-1990) founded the Unitarian Service Committee and immediately struck a chord with Canadians. Thousands answered her call and gave food, clothing and cash to help reconstruct a war-torn Europe.

In the following decades, thousands more responded to Dr. Lotta’s radio and TV appeals, as USC turned its attention to Asia and Africa. USC became one of Canada’s very first internationally focused NGOs, with one of Canada’s most recognizable addresses: 56 Sparks Street, Ottawa.

>> Watch some of Dr. Lotta’s
Public Service Announcements << 

For more than 60 years, we have continued to support partner communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Like many social justice and development organizations, we have shifted our focus from providing material needs like food and clothing to helping people help themselves.

The key values that Dr. Lotta brought to USC so many decades ago are still being put into practice in the work we do today. Together we build on people’s experience, knowledge and skills to foster communities that are healthy, just, and resilient to crises that can destroy livelihoods. We identify community-based organizations that are accountable to their members. We provide resources that develop local leadership and civil society so that communities benefit from money donated by Canadians.

Today, USC’s largest, most-widespread program is called Seeds of Survival. It’s all about helping farmers to stay on their land, to grow more food for their families, to preserve the environment and to enhance biodiversity. It started modestly enough, as a “seed rescue” operation after the big droughts in Ethiopia in the 1980s and has evolved into a global, farmer-led movement for environmentally sound agriculture – supporting women, small-scale farmers and youth in 12 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

USC started with strong support from Unitarian Congregations across Canada. While we continue to enjoy and value Unitarian support, we work with communities of all faiths. For those who are familiar with Unitarianism, this will come as no surprise, since there are Unitarians of many faiths, representing a diversity of beliefs.

To learn more about Dr Lotta’s life and work, read her biography.