Dale and Tracey Wallace scrimped and saved for decades to buy their dream home on the harbor in Madeira Beach, Florida. They signed the papers and moved in 2013. “It was a year after I retired,” Dale said. “I don’t know how two retirees from county civil service could afford it, but she can squeeze…
Responding to Oklahoma City Tornadoes
A powerful storm spawning multiple strong tornadoes barreled through Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Sunday, Nov. 3, damaging or destroying at least 300 homes. The twisters toppled power lines and trees as it carved a destructive path through residential areas. VOLUNTEER IN OKLAHOMA Samaritan’s Purse deployed a Disaster Relief Unit—a tractor-trailer filled with relief supplies and…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Love Arrives After the Storm
Among the ruined items Michael Dixon pulled out of his dresser—soaked certificates, destroyed books, precious photos—he discovered a small keychain. Holding it up to the sunlight streaming through his window, a smile crept onto his face. “Sevierville. 1991. Howard’s restaurant. Our honeymoon,” he said, gazing at the two-inch photo of him and his wife, Nancy,…
Media
Western North Carolina Gives Back Press Kit
Media Resources Media Requests Press Releases Photos B-roll Western North Carolina Gives Back Despite the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, western North Carolina families, school groups, and churches remain committed to packing thousands of shoeboxes for children in need. Many churches are still distributing relief supplies, feeding the community, and helping families recover from the…
Franklin Graham
Newsletter October 2024
Franklin Graham Update | October Franklin Graham Update | October Helping Helene Victims, Ready to Respond in Florida Dear Friend, Hurricane Helene will go down in history as one of the deadliest storms ever to hit the United States mainland. Two weeks later, Hurricane Milton reached Category 5. As I write this, Milton is threatening the West Coast of Florida—already battered by Helene—and…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Volunteers Serve a Carolina Family Mourning Terrible Loss
Nothing remained where her sister’s home once stood. No furniture, clothes, or kitchen dishes. Anna Wiebe and her husband, Ryan, stood in silence as they stared at the expanse of water that now consumed the family’s property. Neither knew what to say. “I was numb and in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that this was happening,”…
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
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…
