Faith in Action After Hurricane Helene

Before Hurricane Helene struck the United States on September 26, 2024, Carolyn Ward of Fairview, North Carolina, felt disillusioned by the negativity she saw in the world.

After the powerful storm brought five feet of water through her home — which in turn brought the helping hands of many on October 5 and 6 to clear away the muck — she saw another side of humanity.

“I have seen the best in people in the past five days,” Ward said as she stood among the debris of her damaged home. “It’s made me feel better about the world in general, even though I’m standing in absolute chaos. I feel better about the world right now than I have in a long time.”

Ward was among the many residents who received help from over 6,000 Latter-day Saints volunteers from 400 congregations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. These volunteers traveled to various parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina to assist in the relief efforts. They spent the weekend mucking out flooded homes, clearing debris, removing downed trees and tarping roofs.