More than 6,000 Latter-day Saints aid in Hurricane Helene relief efforts

Volunteers numbering 6,172 Latter-day Saints from 400 congregations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas traveled to areas impacted by Hurricane Helene this past week to assist in relief efforts.

The death toll from Hurricane Helene has reached 227, according to The Associated Press. The deadliest hurricane to hit mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005, the storm has caused deaths, injuries and copious damage to homes, places of worship and businesses.

Spending more than 77,000 combined hours, the volunteers helped to clear debris, remove trees that had fallen, put tarps on roofs and mucking out flooded homes, according to a press release from the Church Newsroom. One woman, Carolyn Ward from Fairview, North Carolina, said she felt disillusioned by the negativity in the world before the storm hit.

But after receiving help from volunteers, including the Latter-day Saint workers, Ward had a different view.

“I have seen the best in people in the past five days,” said Ward whose own home was damaged. “It’s made me feel better about the world in general, even though I’m standing in absolute chaos. I feel better about the world right now than I have in a long time.”

A couple named Saiid and Ursa Rabiipour said they also received help from the volunteers. According to the release, Saiid Rabiipour said it was difficult for him to receive help from his home insurance. But the volunteers helped them easily.

“What’s so overwhelming is the love of the community and the people,” said Rabiipour. “They are being guided by God to be here. Without the community, I would be helpless. I wouldn’t know where to start.”

Stacey Bruno of South Carolina traveled two hours to help with the relief efforts on Ward’s home and said she hopes Ward’s hope in humanity is restored.

“In the political landscape, and just life in general, we can be bombarded by negative stuff and falsely begin to believe (false messages about people). I hope that she knows that we are people who just love,” said Bruno.

Kyle S. Gillett, president of the Church’s Asheville North Carolina Stake, told Church Newsroom he sees people working around the clock to help people and he also has found beauty in seeing people of faith serve.

“It’s certainly not just members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (doing service here). We’re embedded in the Bible Belt, and there are so many people who are seeking to serve and do what Christ would do at this time,” President Gillett said.

Organizing resources

Shortly after Hurricane Helene hit the Big Bend region of the Florida Panhandle on Sept. 26, relief efforts began. According to a press release from the Church Newsroom, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began organizing disaster relief command centers in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

“The task before us is great,” said Elder Quinn Millington, an Area Seventy in the church’s North America Southeast Area and head of the Area Disaster Response Committee. “We are accustomed to storms in the South, but never have we faced damage this widespread. Yet we have seen the resilience of these communities time and time again as they eagerly come to the aid of their neighbors in need, lifting the hand which hangs down, and comforting those that stand in need of comfort.”

As part of the Church of Jesus Christ’s initial response, food, hygiene kits, water and other supplies were delivered to communities who needed them.

Speaking of the volunteers who would (and did) arrive in the area, Elder Craig C. Christensen, president of the church’s North America Southeast Area, said Latter-day Saints are dependable for serving and loving those in need.

“In doing so, we serve as the Savior did and exemplify the meaning of the name of his church, the same name that is printed on those bright and recognizable yellow shirts that bring hope to their communities with a wheelbarrow and chain saw in hand.”

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