Walter Lewis barely missed one great flood in Boone, North Carolina. That was 85 years ago—about five years before he was born. He did not escape a second great storm, Hurricane Helene, which hit late last year. More than eight decades ago, the 1940 flood triggered more than 2,000 landslides and caused 16 deaths. It’s…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Finding Joy in Jesus After the Storm
Winds roared through Scott’s quiet neighborhood in the heart of Valdosta, Georgia, as Hurricane Helene pushed north past Florida and into the Peach State. In the dark night sky, the towering pines overhead crashed down onto his house, bursting through the ceiling as he and his wife, Terri, huddled in the bathroom. “If you look…
Helping the Hurricane-Ravaged Florida Coast
Diane Pangburn had lived under a roof of blue tarp and damaged shingles since Hurricane Ian tore across her Florida community in 2022. When Hurricane Milton roared ashore in early October, it shredded that covering and torrential rain was channeled into her home. Milton, following so closely after Hurricane Helene, left many areas underwater. Bewildered…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Water Filtration Systems Deployed to the Asheville Area
Samaritan’s Purse is once again expanding relief efforts in western North Carolina with the deployment of community water filtration systems to the town of Swannanoa and other hard-hit areas. Designed by a Samaritan’s Purse team of engineers, each water system can provide up to 50,000 liters of clean water daily—enough for 10,000 people. These units…
Two Marias, One Almighty God
Separated by only 15 miles in the mountains of North Carolina, Maria Sixtos and Maria Chavez have both suffered in Helene’s wake—not only when the historic hurricane hit the area six months ago, but every moment since. For Maria Chavez, a stay-at-home mom, the storm’s damage to the family’s septic system created a daily nightmare…
Franklin Graham
Newsletter February 2025
Franklin Graham Update | February Franklin Graham Update | February Rising From the Mud and Ashes Dear Friend, Samaritan's Purse had the honor of hosting Donald Trump on his first trip as the 47th president, when he and his wife, Melania, came to North Carolina to encourage survivors of Hurricane Helene and see what the new administration can do to accelerate the recovery. It's…
Fire Chief Reflects on God’s Work in His Community After Helene
Fire Chief Stephen Freeman has lived in Bat Cave, North Carolina, for more than six decades. He’s seen severe and deadly weather events. But he’d never seen anything like the force of water that swept through the southern Appalachians in September of last year. He said he’s also experienced God’s presence and the love of…
Media
Press Release Western North Carolina Communities Rally to Give Back Through Samaritan’s Purse Project, Operation Christmas Child
Western North Carolina Communities Rally to Give Back Through Samaritan's Purse Project, Operation Christmas Child Hurricane Helene-Devastated Churches and Families Share the Joy of Christmas with Kids in Need Worldwide Boone, NC. Nov. 19, 2024—Every Christmas season, hundreds of thousands of Americans pack gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need around the world. Samaritan's Purse delivers…
Health & Medical Ministries
Special Medical Outreach Held in Western North Carolina
Note: A second free clinic will take place on June 21-22 in Marshall at the same location. All are welcome. For more information on volunteering, go to samaritanspurse.org/free-clinic. “Do I eat or do I go to the doctor?” Samaritan’s Purse physician Elliott Tenpenny explained the dilemma that many underinsured people face across the country. When…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Disaster Relief Volunteers Urged to Boldly Share the Gospel of Christ
Thick, black smoke was moving in rapidly. Pastor Erik Naylor of Maui, Hawaii, could hardly see more than a few feet in front of him, and he felt the heat as homes around him started to catch on fire. But when he and a neighbor looked across the street, they saw that the Lahaina Baptist…
