The yellow vests communicate a message: “Put us to work. We are here to help.” The Mormon Helping Hands program was created in 1998 in South America, but can now be found in nearly every corner of the world.
As of late, there have been busloads of people from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wearing the “Mormon Helping Hands” yellow vests assisting in clean-up efforts after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. Local missionaries also hang up their suits and ties (or skirts and blouses, as the case may be) to help.
In addition to helping victims of the storm clean up, drives were held to gather and distribute clothes and supplies to those in need.
New York Mormon Josh Brown created the following video capturing some of the devastation…as well as some glimmers of hope and comfort that come as assistance arrived.
“With a catastrophe you see the worst happen physically, but emotionally and socially, it can turn and you can see the best in some people.”
Mormons weren’t the only ones helping. Dozens from Islamic Charities and Catholic Charities as well as people from neighborhoods not as severely affected as those in the Rockaway, NY area also jumped in and put on yellow vests to help clean up.
NOTE: If you know someone who has been affected in the NY/NJ area who is needing help, you can go to one of the following Facebook pages for more information about how to submit a request for help so that volunteers can be coordinated and sent out.
Also, if you are in in the area and are able to help, you can find contact information for those coordinating the service efforts to let them know when you could be there and to find out where the greatest needs still are.
Mormon Helping Hands New England
