After Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has stepped up to provide assistance to those affected by the storm.
According to a press release by the church, over 6,000 volunteers from 400 congregations in the Southeastern United States have traveled to the impacted areas to offer support and aid.
Impact of local congregations
Feeding into that number are nine churches that are overseen by David Stewart, president of the Augusta, Ga., stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
These congregations include the Evans ward, Martinez ward, Stevens Creek ward, Grovetown ward, Harlem ward, Fort Eisenhower branch, Augusta ward, Waynesboro ward and Swainsboro branch.
Stewart said at a Columbia County commissioners meeting on Tuesday that the church as a whole has been working with Crisis Cleanup, a work order management platform that connects volunteers with people in need after disasters.
Work done in the community
Stewart said members of his local congregations began engaging in “informal relief efforts” almost immediately after the storm, offering a hand to clear driveways and cut branches.
“Church is about community,” said Stewart.
On the weekend of Oct. 6, Stewart said that church members from outside of the CSRA were brought in to help the relief efforts. That Saturday and Sunday, volunteers spent over 5,500 hours working on over 250 affected homes.
Aid was focused on Columbia County, Richmond County and Aiken County.
“It’s just a big part of what we believe Christianity is,” said Stewart. “Jesus said ‘take care of your neighbors.’”
He said that he is hopeful for an even larger response this weekend, when volunteers from congregations in Atlanta and Columbia, S.C., will provide aid.
Stewart said he is anticipating upwards of 700 volunteer workers.
