Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continue relief work following Tropical Storm Helene

News release from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Since October 4, over 3,000 volunteers in their trademark yellow shirts and vests from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Southeastern United States have made day trips to Western North Carolina to help homes and houses of worship affected by Hurricane Helene. Volunteers traveled at their own expense to clear debris, muck out homes, and — according to a local Church official — to bring hope with them everywhere they served.

These volunteers have contributed more than 55,500 hours of work to complete over 1,700 work orders (1 order = 1 home) in this region. In preparation for the cleanup and relief effort, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent several trucks of supplies to the area for the volunteers’ use and distribution.

Among those serving residents in Western North Carolina were close to 200 volunteers from local congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“It’s certainly not just members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints giving service after the hurricane,” said Kyle Gillett, a leader for the Church in the Asheville area. “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. We love to work together with all our brothers and sisters of every faith to minister to those who are suffering.”

Since 1998, thousands of volunteers from the Church have helped people worldwide whose lives have been affected by natural disasters and other emergencies. These include cleanup after the 2022 flooding in Eastern Kentucky, the numerous tornadoes throughout the South, fires in California, and Hurricanes Idalia, Ian, Ida, Katrina, Ike, Gustav, Isaac, Matthew, Michael, Florence, Laura, Sally, and many others.

Rachel Stay, a member of the Arden congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ, spent Sunday morning cleaning deep mud and spoiled drywall out of a stranger’s house in Black Mountain during the hours she normally would have spent worshiping at church.

“Helping people who have suffered more than my family did during this disaster helped me to feel the Holy Spirit and feel closer to Jesus,” said Stay. “He would be helping everyone, even on the Sabbath. Serving and helping others in need is doing as Jesus did; it’s being His hands.”

Added Gillett, “My mind has been called back many times this weekend to a verse from the story of Esther [chapter 4, verse 14] in the Old Testament. Who knows if perhaps God put each of us where we are and gave us the blessings we have for a time such as this? We have to go out and share.”

In the coming weekend, volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ will consist mostly of “heavy crews” who bring their own heavy machinery to assist with the Hurricane Helene and Milton clean-up effort.

About The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a worldwide faith of over 17 million members.  The Church has over 31,000 congregations in more than 160 countries and territories. Across 70 countries, the Church is serving more than 450,000 individuals through a religious education program for youth and young adults and the operation of four universities/colleges; FamilySearch, the world’s largest genealogical organization; and a vast humanitarian aid program that provides nearly $1.4 billion annually in worldwide relief. For more information, visit the Caring for Those in Need annual report.