News Story

Quebec Communities Improved by Mormon Helping Hands

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Saguenay and Laval, Quebec, have joined other citizens to clean up their communities.

Cleanup in Laval, Quebec

Volunteers filled more than 150 garbage bags as they cleared parks, riversides and woodlots by gathering bricks, carpets, tires and other items harmful to the environment.

“It was impressive to see all those people who were not afraid of getting dirty and working hard to serve their community,’’ said group leader Jeremy Tremblay. ‘‘This event has been a success, despite the cloudy weather and mud!’’

Cleanup in Saguenay, Quebec

As volunteers from the Church gathered to clean three of the local parks in Saguenay, they were thanked by Mayor Jean Tremblay. He remarked, “I am aware that all of the citizens want the city to be clean, and what you are doing today is to benefit the town for years to come.”

One member reported on the success of the second annual cleanup for the city: “This was a good experience and a way to get involved in the community and show we respect our environment. We belong to the community, and if we help each other, we can improve our quality of living.”

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, often partner with government and non-profit organizations to support and improve the communities where they live.

The Mormon Helping Hands program was established in 1998, and since then hundreds of thousands of volunteers have donated millions of hours in service to better their communities.

Volunteer Charles Adebayo of Nigeria shared the feelings of many who have participated in the Mormon Helping Hands program: “We find real happiness when we think outside of ourselves. That is true joy."

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.