An EF4 tornado zeroed in on John Hatcher’s brick home in Wren, Mississippi, on March 24. John, his wife, Leighlynn, and their two daughters were fast asleep. But the thundering roar of the twister woke John up. He quickly rushed down the hall to protect his children. “I dove in a bedroom at the end…
Crisis & Disaster Response
One Year Later: Still at Work Helping Mayfield Rebuild
A year ago this month, musician Ricky Scaggs was singing Christmas songs from the stage of a local Mayfield, Kentucky, school where Franklin Graham joined Samaritan’s Purse staff, volunteers, and many grieving residents for a Christmas Eve meal. Our teams had started serving in the area on Dec. 14, 2021, to help help hurting residents…
Residents Give Thanks as Volunteers Lend a Hand in Eastern Oregon
“The storm was just supposed to be rain for two days. It was not supposed to be a big deal,” shared homeowner Russ Clinkenbeard. “It was so surprising how fast it happened.” Some eight to ten inches of water burst into his home as he tended to his 2-year-old son while his wife was at…
Volunteers Eager to Serve After Pearl River Floods in Mississippi
Samaritan’s Purse is on the ground near Jackson, Mississippi, providing relief to families who are struggling after the Pearl River recently flooded. Volunteers from across the U.S. are helping families clear their property of debris, remove waterlogged drywall and insulation, and salvage any personal belongings that may have survived the floodwaters. Inspired to serve in…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Samaritan’s Purse Responds in Illinois After Midwest Tornadoes
Volunteers are already hard at work in Lena, Illinois, where an EF-2 tornado touched down damaging roofs and uprooting trees. Our volunteers are working out of our base of operations at our host church, Lena Evangelical Free Church in Lena. VOLUNTEER IN ILLINOIS Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief Unit #3 departed our Wilkes Office and Warehouse…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Volunteers Serving in Storm-Battered Mississippi
Under a cloudless blue sky in Soso, Mississippi, Samaritan’s Purse volunteer Randy Graves crawled over and under downed pine trees searching for valuables. At the request of the homeowners, Graves and other volunteers carefully sorted through strewn belongings. They were on the hunt for photo albums, Bibles, jewelry, and a valuable collection of coins. They…
Flood Relief Wraps Up in the Northeast
In early July, historic rainfall in the Northeast prompted severe flooding that devastated homeowners. Samaritan’s Purse responded in the communities of Highland Falls, New York, and Barre, Vermont, and their surrounding areas to provide much-needed relief. Over the past weeks, dedicated volunteers have worked to mud out homes as well as remove soaked drywall and…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Serves in Little Rock
UPDATE: April 7 Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and some of her staff members volunteered today with Samaritan’s Purse in Little Rock, Arkansas. Parts of the state capital were devastated by an EF4 tornado late on March 31, and the cleanup continues. Our volunteer teams have been working since the morning of April 3 to tarp…
Crisis & Disaster Response
Tornado Survivors Grateful for God’s Protection
Coella and Manley Tate hid in the bathtub as a tornado hit their Bertie County home of more than 20 years. They prayed for God’s protection and said ‘I love you’ for what they believed would be the last time. The EF-3 tornado ravaged their home at 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 4. Though a similar…
Picking Up the Pieces After Oregon Fires
“Evacuate now!” Around 3 p.m. on September 8, Stephen MacAuley was playing the piano in his Phoenix, Oregon, townhouse when he saw a police car drive by and heard an officer announce the emergency warning through a bullhorn. Stephen knew wildfires had been reported in the area, but he never thought they would reach his…
