News Release

Mormon Helping Hands Serving Brazil at 2014 World Cup

At the request of Brazil's Ministry of Sports, around 1,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil are volunteering their time to help Brazil host the 2014 World Cup.

Mormons and their friends – 18 years old and older – are taking part in Brazil Volunteer, the volunteer force behind this year's World Cup and other events such as the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. They’re trained to receive visitors at airports and work at tourist sites and other popular locations during the World Cup, which lasts from June 12 through July 1.

In 2013, Sarah Menezes, then national coordinator for Brazil Volunteer worked with MHH volunteers during the Confederations Cup and was impressed by their service.  "[Mormon] Helping Hands volunteers are the most organized and dedicated,” she said. “We need you at the Cup."

As a result, representatives of Brazil's Ministry of Sports approached the Church about providing volunteers for the 2014 World Cup.

Over the years, Mormon Helping Hands volunteers in Brazil have cleaned city parks, refurbished public schools, and assembled and donated materials for newborn baby kits. In 2013, Mormon Helping Hands volunteers came to the rescue of many people who lost their homes during the heavy rains in southeast Sao Paulo, and donated blood on a nationwide "Helping Hands" day, partnering with blood collection agencies throughout Brazil.

Successful Mormon Helping Hands Projects are also popping up all over South Africa. East London First Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints completely repaired and brought water tanks to Green Sleeves orphanage. Queenstown Ward members planted 900 seeds and nurtured them and then planted them and watered them in a Queenstown community.  The result was a beautiful, well-ended garden that would positively impact this community and  provide healthy fruits and vegetables for years to come.

Johannesburg Mormon Helping Hands projects included over 200 members that cleaned and beautified the grounds of the zoo; 84 volunteers who gathering at the Nakekela Tlokomela Centre for the Disabled in Kwa-Guqa, where they got to work painting the building, cleaning floors, washing clothes, cooking, feeding the children, and repairing appliances.  In nearly four hours, the entire centre was renovated successfully.  In Centurion, fifty members of the Centurion 2nd Ward provided a morning of service at the Kiriake Home for Homeless Adults.  Painting, gardening, and donating furniture were all part of the activity.  

In Swaziland, Mormon Helping Hands volunteers, members from Ezulwini, Mbabane and Manzini  with full-time missionaries and other local churches and community members gathered together to begin constructing a bridge at Somnjalose.

In Cape Town, an affordable housing community,  Bothasig Gardens, needed help. Mormon Helping Hands volunteers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came to their rescue. They repaired items, painted rooms, planted gardens, cleared the property of debris and turned a room full of junk into a rec room for the community. Comments from South Africa Mormon Helping Hands volunteers: “We really enjoyed ourselves,” and “We should do this every week,” show that service to others can be truly rewarding.

The Mormon Helping Hands program of the Church, carried out in many parts of the world, reflects the desire of Latter-day Saints to follow the example of Jesus Christ by serving others.

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