Youth Serve and Strengthen Communities in the Americas

During April 2026, youth and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints used the JustServe platform to find ways to serve in their communities across North and South America.

The following service project summaries are a few selected examples that represent many more projects that took place during the month.

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Rancagua, Chile

Young men and women gathered in Rancagua, Chile, on April 25 to paint 20 homes for senior citizens, providing much-needed support that brightened the neighborhood through simple service. It was a meaningful experience for the youth.

“I am filled with joy because I know I’m helping people who need it,” said Sofía Castillo. “I also know that I’m serving the Savior, and that makes me very happy.”

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This project was in coordination with the city of Rancagua and the program El Servicio Nacional del Adulto Mayor (SENAMA), an effort focused on improving the quality of life, autonomy and participation of elderly adults.

“I feel very happy,” said Geraldine Quiñones, a social worker with SENAMA. “I encourage all youth and the next generations to participate in more volunteer service, especially for senior citizens, because this is part of life for everyone.”

She continued, “We will all reach their age, and truly, we would like to spend our final years of life — or whatever time we have left — in the best possible way.”

Agustín Meléndez said that helping others was central to his decision to volunteer.

“What I’ve liked most about being here is that it helps people,” Meléndez said. “Jesus Christ would help people, so I follow His example.”

Mesa, Arizona

An interfaith “ServeFest” brought together JustServe volunteers at Brown Road Baptist Church in Mesa on April 11.

“If people could just learn to get along,” said Alan Thompson, pastor at Brown Road Baptist Church. “We don’t have to have the same theological beliefs to work together. Working together for a common goal of serving the community … that’s what it’s all about today.”

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In the morning, youth volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ sorted donated clothes and shoes into gender, age and size categories. The event invited the community to visit the Baptist church that day and take clothes and shoes home that would benefit them.

“Jesus Christ does small things like little miracles,” said Abi Davis, a youth volunteer. “I could be someone’s little miracle with this one-fold of clothes; [it] could mean so much to someone.”

The young men and women of the Church worked alongside the members of the Baptist church who had lived a little longer but still wanted to serve.

“Our average age [in the congregation] was 82 years of age, and so our serving is going to be limited to, ‘What can an 82-year-old or a 92-year-old lady do?’” said Thompson.

The 13 charities and nonprofits that wanted to participate in ServeFest needed a place to host the event, and that’s when Thompson knew how his congregation could help.

“We don’t have to do the serving. We can host them and make them feel at home. We are honored to be the host … and we’re just glad to link together with them and serve together,” said Thompson.

Laura Pahules, founder of Control Alt Delete, a nonprofit that helps domestic violence survivors flee abuse, was grateful to be a part of Servefest.

“I have seen the results of the JustServe community and how it can make such a huge impact on nonprofits,” said Pahules.

Tauna Barton, an organizer of ServeFest and a JustServe representative in Mesa, felt that this event was a perfect way to love their neighbors.

“We have so much that we can give and share, so we invited all the community that has needs that we could help,” said Barton. “We could share our faith, our love of the Savior, and just let them know we are super happy to be here helping them.”

Denver, Colorado

Around 1,000 youth from across the Denver area gathered at a meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ to complete more than a dozen community service projects as part of a large-scale service event tied to the America250 initiative.

Each project aimed at completing at least 250 — or in some cases 2,500 — items to benefit local nonprofits, food pantries and individuals in need.

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Fourteen-year-old Juliette Lewis of Denver helped make blankets for children experiencing medical crises and staying with their families at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Denver. “It makes me happy because we have a lot of things here, and some kids don’t have anything,” she said. “This makes a lot of difference.”

Youth assembled hygiene kits, baby clothing bags, heart pillows for cancer patients, reusable grocery bags, meal delivery bags and comfort items for students. They also collected more than 600 nonperishable food items, created handmade cards for first responders, veterans and hospital patients, and cleaned a nearby park.

Several projects were completed in collaboration with local organizations, including WeeCycle, SECOR Cares, Project Angel Heart, and Denver Parks and Recreation.

“This was an amazing turnout,” said Jennifer Perry, volunteer coordinator for WeeCycle. “We had more youth than expected, and they made quick work of everything. I’m so glad to see how much they want to help the community.”

Wake Forest, North Carolina

More than 175 youth volunteers served at community gardens, food pantries, parks and a local ballfield as part of a day of service across several North Carolina communities.

“It’s better than anything else you could be doing on a Saturday,” said Mark Sorensen, a youth volunteer.

The young men and women planted and maintained two community gardens that donate produce to local food pantries. They planted more than 120 tomato plants at Wake Forest Presbyterian Church’s Giving Garden. They also mulched and weeded the Community Connections Garden at Wake Forest Baptist Church.

Referring to the service the youth and missionaries give regularly, Larry Roper, director of the Giving Garden, explained, “This is God’s Garden, one that belongs to the community and all churches. Our garden wouldn’t be as successful as it is without them.”

Additional efforts included building five new garden boxes, restoring a town gazebo, cleaning parks and streets, packing 140 shelf-stable meal bags at Journey Ministry Food Pantry, assembling snack kits and comfort capes for children served by SAFEchild, and supporting a Miracle League baseball game, where youth served as buddies to athletes with special needs.

“We’re better together,” said Diane Ferrari, a local JustServe specialist. “It’s amazing the positive impact and healing that can take place as we unite and serve one another.”

In all, volunteers supported eight agencies and towns through service projects.

Los Angeles, California

On Saturday, April 18, youth and community leaders gathered at Iglesia Poder De Dios to help fight food insecurity.

The interfaith event brought together volunteers from 13 Los Angeles–area churches to assemble and distribute food boxes to families and individuals in need. The initiative was part of a broader collaboration with America250, JustServe and the Church of Jesus Christ.

A full semitruck of food was delivered to Iglesia Poder de Dios, where JustServe volunteers prepared and distributed hundreds of food boxes.

“I loved seeing their smiles and dedication as they served,” said Shanna Nussbaum, a local communications director of the Church. “In LA right now, one in three families is food insecure, so this service is truly a powerful gift and will feed over 500 families.”

She continued, “While it was hard work, seeing young people smile and being touched by the Spirit and uniting within diversity is heartwarming and miraculous. The humanitarian efforts of the Church truly change lives as we strive to live the important commandments: to love God and to love our neighbor.”