Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Henderson, Auckland recently donated blankets to local families in need.
Hulufe Palemene, who works for an educational programme for parents and children in the community recognized that many families were in need of warm blankets to help them during the cold winter.
She contacted her mother, Marilyn Manukia, who invited others to donate any spare blankets they were not using. Many members of the Henderson Latter-day Saint congregations accepted the invitation by not only donating used blankets, but purchasing and donating new ones.
Young women from the Church also donated the blankets they had recently made as part of their youth activities.
“It’s important to make the most of these opportunities to serve others and truly make a difference in someone’s life,” Marilyn Manukia said.
The project was organised as a “Mormon Helping Hands” initiative.
Mormon Newsroom states: “The Mormon 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. Mormon Helping Hands volunteers also partner with government and non-profit organizations to support and improve the communities where they live.”
The Henderson Latter-day Saints’ goal, Mrs Manukia says, “is to lend a helping hand, whenever needed, all year round.”