Ronnie and Ginny Meadows’ mobile home in western North Carolina, was washed away by Hurricane Helene. It was the only home they had lived in during their married life—49 years and still counting. “We’ve been flooded a hundred times,” Ronnie said, noting that their former home stood on the street where he grew up. “But…
50 Years of Ministry
Responding in the Aftermath of Devastating Disasters in Haiti
Samaritan’s Purse mounted a massive, multi-level response and delivered tons of emergency food and supplies after a fierce 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. The impact was catastrophic for the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. About 250,000 people were killed, and more than a million Haitians were left homeless. Our medical and…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Florida Man Rescued Just in Time
As Hurricane Idalia barreled toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, Samaritan’s Purse U.S. Disaster Relief specialists prepositioned two Disaster Relief Units full of supplies in Georgia. The Category 3 hurricane soon made landfall on Wednesday morning, Aug. 30, near Keaton Beach in Florida’s Big Bend region with 125-mph winds and a record storm surge. The team prayed…
Media
Press Release Deploys Disaster Relief Unit to Aid Gulf Coast 8-27-2020
Samaritan's Purse Deploys Disaster Relief Unit to Aid Hurting Gulf Coast Families in the Wake of Hurricane Laura Volunteers to Help Remove Downed Trees, Clear Debris, Mud-Out Flooded Homes and Salvage Belongings Dallas, TX, Aug. 27, 2020—Samaritan’s Purse is on the way to hard-hit Louisiana after Hurricane Laura rapidly intensified and struck the coastline as a Category…
Blue Ridge Resident Moves Into New Home
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…
Media
DC-8 Press Kit
Media Resources Media Requests Press Releases Fact Sheets Photos B-roll Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 Aircraft The Samaritan's Purse DC-8 aircraft allows the international Christian relief organization to respond to global disasters at a moments' notice. Since it first deployed in April of 2016, the DC-8 has carried more than 5.6 million pounds of cargo on 147…
Construction Projects
‘The Happiest Day of My Life’
Leticia Jaimes wiped away tears as she walked through her new home for the first time. She paused in the living room, overwhelmed, and fell into the embrace of her mother, Elena. Mother and daughter hugged and cried together, knowing that this day would mark the beginning of many new family memories. “For years, we…
Samaritan’s Purse Responding to Severe Flooding in Lake Charles
Updated: May 21 with video on May 23 Samaritan’s Purse has deployed to Lake Charles, Louisiana, after torrential rain caused serious flooding across the southern part of the state. As much as 12.5 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in Lake Charles, where people are still recovering from two hurricanes (Delta and Laura) that…
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…
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…
