Wielding chain saws and moving tons of debris, more than 200 volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — many dressed in the Church’s familiar “Mormon Helping Hands” T-shirts — helped clean up areas in Alabama and Georgia affected by last week’s tornadoes that left a trail of death and devastation.
“The community has really come together to help piece the town back together,” said Bishop Michael Basher, a local Church leader in Enterprise. “Residents have been so grateful for the service rendered not only by our Church members but by others who have donated their time and effort.”
Mormon Helping Hands is a program designed to provide community service and disaster relief to local communities. The program enables Church members to give their time and talents to those in need.
In addition to local volunteer help, the Church provided two truckloads of commodities containing food, water, tarps, hygiene kits and other emergency supplies to some of the affected areas. These trucks were dispatched from a special warehouse in Atlanta called the Bishops’ Central Storehouse.
One truckload went to Americus, Georgia, and the other to Columbus, Georgia. Latter-day Saints met both trucks and assisted with the unloading. All items sent from the Church are being distributed by the American Red Cross.
Local Church leaders will continue to monitor the situation as they stay in contact with community officials and other relief organizations in the affected areas.