Topic

Helping Hands

The Helping Hands program brings together members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their neighbours to provide community service.

These volunteers in their trademark yellow shirts help people whose lives have been affected by natural disasters and other emergencies.

Helping Hands volunteers also partner with government and nonprofit organizations to support and improve the communities where they live.   

The Helping Hands program reflects the desire of church members to follow the example of Jesus Christ by serving others. The effort receives resources from Church humanitarian services, and the projects are coordinated by local Church leaders.

The Helping Hands program was originally established in 1998, and since then hundreds of thousands of volunteers have donated millions of hours of service to their communities. The program started in South America but has since spread to nearly every corner of the world.

Volunteer Charles Adebayo of Nigeria summed up the feelings of many who participate in the Helping Hands program: “We find real happiness when we think outside of ourselves. That is true joy,” he said.

This program was previously known as "Mormon Helping Hands," a name which was retired in 2018. Some of the previous news releases that cover Helping Hands projects are listed below:

Helping Hands Make a Difference Across New Zealand

'Helping Hands' Volunteers Support Wellington Night Shelter

Volunteers Plant Trees and Grow Community Spirit in Wellington

Hamilton Volunteers Give Marae a Lift

A Closer Look Into One of this Year's 'Helping Hands' Projects (Auckland)

Helping Hands at Work Again in Christchurch

Helping Hands Pitch in to Aid Neighbors in Tornado-Ravaged Southern U.S.

Thousands of  Volunteers Lend a Hand in California and Hawaii

Day of Service in South Florida

“Helping Hands” Program — A Decade of Service 

"Helping Hands" Clean Up After Hurricane Ike

New Zealanders Spruce Up Neighborhoods

Brazilian Senate Honors Church and Its Members

One Hundred Thousand Africans Find Joy in Continent-Wide "Helping Hands" Project

Countrywide Helping Hands Project Benefits Schools in Brazil

Florida Youth Service Project Example of Mormon Core Values

Mormons Work With Communities to Prepare for Hurricanes

60,000 Mormon Volunteers Help 300 Brazilian Hospitals

Latter-day Saints to Mobilize Another 4,000 Volunteers in Chainsaw Brigade's Second Wave

Joining Hands as Neighbors and Now Friends

Style Guide Note:When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. For more information on the use of the name of the Church, go to our online Style Guide.