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Hurricane Helene, with winds reaching 140 miles per hour, struck the Big Bend region of Florida's Panhandle on September 26, 2024. This storm has been identified as the strongest hurricane to hit the area and the deadliest in the United States since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Over 100 fatalities have been reported, primarily due to drowning from up to 30 inches of rain.
In response, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is mobilizing disaster relief efforts across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Supplies such as water, food, and hygiene kits are being dispatched to areas most affected by the hurricane.
“The task before us is great,” stated Elder Quinn Millington, an Area Seventy and head of the Area Disaster Response Committee for the Church’s North America Southeast Area. He acknowledged the severity of the damage while commending community resilience.
Thousands of volunteers from the Church are expected to assist in recovery efforts over upcoming weekends. Their tasks will include clearing debris and repairing homes across affected states including Alabama, Central Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Elder Craig C. Christensen emphasized community support during these times: “In times of great need, we continue to depend upon surrounding Latter-day Saint congregations to love and serve those in need.”
The Church has confirmed that all missionaries in the impacted regions are safe. However, some church buildings have sustained damage and power outages persist. Notably, the Tallahassee Florida Temple was unharmed despite its proximity to where Helene made landfall. The temple's public open house remains scheduled for November 4.
For those outside affected areas wishing to contribute assistance can visit JustServe.org or consider donating towards humanitarian efforts organized by The Church.
