Vice President Elect JD Vance visited western North Carolina today where the remnants of Hurricane Helene churned through the Appalachians causing catastrophic flooding in late September. Vance joined Samaritan’s Purse COO Edward Graham in Buncombe County (Asheville area) where they met with local residents affected by the deadly storm, which dumped as much as 30…
A Plumber Gets His Livelihood Back After Hurricane Helene
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE | Dumitru’s story after Helene When Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina in September 2024, Dumitru and Dina Gyska lost everything they depended upon for their livelihoods. Dumitru’s efforts toward building his year-old plumbing business were shattered in a matter of minutes as floodwaters and debris swept through his property in Buncombe County.…
Samaritan’s Purse Dedicates First Home in Hurricane Helene Rebuild
In the same front yard where Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters tore through their quiet western North Carolina neighborhood, Benny and Keeva Messer stood on June 2 praising God for a brand-new home built in Jesus’ Name, from the foundation below to the shingles above. “Today we are going to celebrate and rejoice,” said Luther Harrison, vice…
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Crisis & Disaster Response
Volunteers Help Lift Heavy Burden for Hurricane-Hit Couple
Justin and Amy Parlier had been awake nearly the entire night because of the rain and storms from Hurricane Helene that hit the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. They tried to get some sleep early Friday morning but received a call from Amy’s son that a tree had fallen and destroyed one of their…
Franklin Graham
Newsletter November 2024
Franklin Graham Update | November Franklin Graham Update | November A MASSIVE AIRLIFT & AN ARMY OF ORANGE RUSH TO THE FRONTLINES Dear Friend, In the weeks following Hurricane Helene, the "whomp-whomp-whomp" of helicopters echoed across the mountains of western North Carolina, reassuring desperate survivors that help and hope were on the way. Four National Guard Chinooks, three ex-Army Blackhawks, and several private…
Crisis & Disaster Response
President Donald Trump and Franklin Graham Meet Hurricane Survivors in North Carolina
Only days after his inauguration as the 47th president of the United States, President Donald Trump accompanied Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham on Friday to Buncombe County, North Carolina, to see our ongoing Hurricane Helene relief efforts. President Trump and Graham visited homeowners in the hard-hit area, assessing needs and sharing words of encouragement as…
Health & Medical Ministries
Meeting Our Neighbors’ Needs in Western North Carolina
Marco did not need to say anything—the instant smile that burst across his face when he put on his new glasses let everyone know he was overjoyed. Although he’d suffered with poor vision for years, Marco had never been able to afford a visit to the eye doctor. His first opportunity for an eye exam…
Crisis & Disaster Response
First Mobile Homes Given to Hurting Families After Helene
Lidia Gomez escaped with her family as floodwaters, mud, and debris filled their Buncombe County, North Carolina, community last September. When they returned in the wake of Helene’s destruction, their mobile home was unrecognizable—filled with water and pierced by a tree that had crashed through the roof. In the following days, the home became filled…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Still Praising God in Helene’s Wake
Hurricane Helene ripped apart mountains. Mud, trees, and boulders plunged into raging creeks and rivers. Homes washed away. It was truly terrifying. As traumatized residents sought relief and refuge on their road to recovery, they turned to churches in their community. But local congregations were also in the path of the storm. In Mountain City,…
