Samaritan's Purse continues to lead North Carolina relief efforts in wake of devastating Hurricane Helene
Samaritan's Purse, a humanitarian aid ministry, is not slowing down its relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Helene in its home state of North Carolina.
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Edward Graham, COO of Samaritan's Purse and an Army veteran, urges Americans to pray in the aftermath of storms like Helene and Milton.
"The greatest need that western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee need is prayer. We need a country praying," he said.
But on the ground, Samaritan's Purse is doing more than sharing the gospel with its teams of "orange shirts" volunteers.
Samaritan's Purse has already coordinated the largest civilian airlift operation in U.S. history in its continued efforts to relieve those affected by Hurricane Helene, with 210 missions delivering emergency supplies completed according to numbers from an Oct. 11 release.
Graham and his wife, Kristen, are based in Boone, North Carolina, with their three sons and daughter. Their community was directly impacted by Helene. Edward's father and president of Samaritan's Purse, Franklin Graham, also lost power and heat. Edward Graham is the grandson of the late Rev. Billy Graham.
Part of the continued efforts to bring generators and heaters to North Carolinians as the temperatures drop is inspired by Graham's experience in the cold.
Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26, is the second-deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland since 2000 — Hurricane Katrina in 2005 remains the worst.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 95 verified storm-fatalities have been recorded so far in the Tar Heel State, with 42 in Buncombe County alone.
With the presidential election taking place in just over two weeks, national attention on the hurricane's aftermath and the people it affected has waned.
"The vice president, the former president, aren't going to solve the problems of North Carolina people living and serving their neighbor," Graham told Fox News Digital. "That's what's going to change North Carolina here and the help that is needed. So I just ask the audience, be praying. And if you're willing, go to samaritanspurse.org, you can find a way to sign up and volunteer."
The majority of the relief missions flown by Samaritan's Purse start from an airfield in its backyard in Boone.
"This is unprecedented. It’s a testimony to what can be done when people work together. It’s nothing short of a miracle and we give God the glory," the Rev. Franklin Graham said in a news release. "We are thankful to God for bringing all of these people and groups together to help those who have been devastated by Helene."
HELP PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HURRICANE HELENE HERE
Added Edward Graham: "So please, don't take your attention off this. There's a lot of work to be done. And if people really want to help, I need volunteers for the long haul."
"I need volunteers right now, but I need volunteers showing up in January, December, November, when it's cold over the holiday season, when you're warm with your family over the holiday," he said. "Think about those in western North Carolina that aren't."
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Volunteers with Samaritan's Purse are serving victims of Helene as well as Hurricane Milton across North Carolina, parts of Tennesee, Georgia and Florida.