Samaritan’s Purse Dedicates First, Newly-Built Home for Family Impacted by Hurricane Helene

BOONE, N.C., May 30, 2025—Samaritan’s Purse plans to dedicate the first of many newly built homes in western North Carolina on Monday, June 2 for Benny and Keva Messer. The Messer family, like hundreds of others, lost nearly everything when floodwaters from Hurricane Helene swept through their neighborhood—washing away 47 years of memories in a matter of hours.

During the initial disaster response, over 50,000 Samaritan’s Purse volunteers served more than 7,000 families devastated by Hurricane Helene across the southeast. Now, 8 months after the storm, Samaritan’s Purse remains committed to repair and replace hundreds of homes that were damaged or destroyed—providing safe, permanent housing solutions as well as new furniture for both renters and homeowners in need.

In addition to housing, Samaritan’s Purse is assisting families with infrastructure repairs of driveways, culverts, and bridges.

“We are so thankful to have completed and be dedicating this brand-new home for the Messers today,” dijo Franklin Graham, presidente de Samaritan's Purse. “They lost everything in Hurricane Helene, and now they can look forward to making new memories in this home. We look forward to finishing and dedicating many more homes for families in the months ahead—all to the glory of God.”

Samaritan’s Purse is rebuilding and providing additional long-term recovery services in Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga, and Yancey counties in North Carolina as well as Johnson County, Tennessee. Applications for rebuild assistance are still open. To apply, please email USDisasterRecovery@samaritan.org.

Based in Boone, North Carolina, Samaritan's Purse responds to the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations—especially in locations where few others are working. Led by Present and CEO Franklin Graham, Samaritan's Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, poverty, famine, and persecution. For more information, visit SamaritansPurse.org/espanol.