Joe Sherwood had never experienced a disaster like Hurricane Helene, which ripped up his hometown of Vilas, North Carolina –a small town tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The powerful storm left the home he had built over five decades earlier in ruins. What began as a peaceful morning playing checkers on his iPad…
Seeing the Valleys from the Mountaintop
A little over a year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, hope is being rebuilt one home at a time. Samaritan’s Purse Chief Operating Officer Edward Graham stood atop the mountain where Vanessa Bowens had played as a child, praying one day she’d live in a home looking down over the…
Our Ministry
Newsletter May 2026
Franklin Graham Update | May Loving Our Neighbors In Lebanon and the U.S. Dear Friend, As the Middle East continues to reel from conflict, more than 1 million people have evacuated southern Lebanon to seek safety in the capital of Beirut and surrounding areas. Some are living in schools and community centers. Others are staying with relatives. Some are sleeping…
Media
North American Disaster Relief
North American Disaster Relief These photographs are available for news media outlet use in coverage of Samaritan's Purse-related stories. If your news outlet uses a photograph, please credit: "Courtesy of Samaritan's Purse." These photographs are not for commercial use. Los Angeles County, California 2025 Samaritan’s Purse volunteers serve not only to meet the physical needs of…
Media
Press Release Samaritan’s Purse Scales Up North Carolina Response, Opening Emergency Field Hospital and Launching Airlift Operations
Samaritan’s Purse Scales Up North Carolina Response, Opening Emergency Field Hospital and Launching Airlift Operations Additional Medical Support to Provide Surge Capacity as Search and Rescue Efforts Continue BOONE, N.C., Oct. 2, 2024—Samaritan’s Purse has begun emergency airlift operations in western North Carolina to help people who have been cut off from access to basic…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Responding in Charlotte County After Hurricane Milton’s Rumble Through Florida
Milton unleashed torrential rain and ferocious winds across Florida after making landfall Wednesday evening, Oct. 9, near Siesta Key, south of Sarasota. The deadly and powerful storm, which entered the state as a Category 3 hurricane and left as a Category 1 on Thursday morning, spawned tornadoes and caused severe flooding. The Tampa area, spared…
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…
Franklin Graham
Newsletter December 2024
Franklin Graham Update | December Franklin Graham Update | December 'From Devastation To Celebration' Dear Friend, As Christmas approaches, we continue to see so much need all around us. Our disaster relief teams have served thousands of storm-stricken families. Meanwhile, we've been collecting and shipping Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts to millions of children worldwide. Hurricane Helene brought out the best in our…
Our Ministry
2024 Year-End Report
Thank You Hurricane Helene Sudan Operation Christmas Child Brazil Beryl Mexico 2024 Year‑End Report Thank You Millions of people worldwide have been devasted by natural disasters, poverty, famine, and war and desperately need physical relief and the hope of Jesus Christ. Samaritan's Purse is reaching hurting families while also letting them know they are not forgotten…
Firefighter Receives Camper from Samaritan’s Purse
Howard and Lisa Ray’s mobile home was torn from its fastenings as several inches of water turned into a raging torrent in a matter of minutes, when Hurricane Helene swept through their Yancey County property in late September. Everything went by in a flash. Their home was bobbing through newly-formed rapids, and they surged forward…
