Christian groups provide disaster relief to Helene victims as death toll climbs past 60
Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region before sweeping through Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Tennessee, has left over 60 people dead and millions without power. In response, Christian organizations such as Samaritan's Purse and The Salvation Army swiftly mobilized to deliver critical disaster relief across the southeastern United States.
The hurricane, which initially made landfall as a Category 4 storm, brought devastating winds, heavy rainfall and widespread flooding, particularly impacting Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. The damage has been catastrophic.
Helene had left at least 63 people dead in five states, as of early Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
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State officials reported that at least 20 people have died in South Carolina, including two firefighters in Saluda County. In Georgia, the death toll has reached at least 17, with two fatalities caused by a tornado in Alamo. The number of confirmed deaths in Florida has risen to 11, including several drownings in Pinellas County. In Virginia, one person died in Craig County due to a storm-related tree fall and building collapse.
Franklin Graham, leading both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, stated on social media, “This storm is huge. Pray for the safety of all of those in [its] path.”
His organizations are offering both physical aid and spiritual support to the affected communities.
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team has deployed chaplains to the hardest-hit areas, including Tampa and Perry in Florida, Valdosta in Georgia and the High Country in North Carolina, the group said in a statement.
These chaplains are providing a ministry of presence at shelters such as the one in Fletcher, North Carolina, as well as offering support at hospitals overwhelmed by the disaster, like the Watauga County Hospital in Boone.
Josh Holland, international director of BG-RRT, described the scenes across the states as “almost unfathomable.”
“We often brace for storms, and we watched as Hurricane Helene came ashore. Even still, the impact of this disaster caught many by surprise. The scenes we’re witnessing across multiple states are almost unfathomable,” Holland said.
Similarly, Samaritan’s Purse said it has initiated responses in five key locations across the Southeast. The group's efforts are concentrated around their base in Perry, Florida, where the hurricane first made landfall with 140-mph winds. Additional bases have been set up in Valdosta, Georgia, and in the High Country of North Carolina, including Boone, where Samaritan’s Purse is headquartered.
“Samaritan’s Purse responds to help with storms and crises around the world every day, but now the storm has hit in our own backyard,” Graham said, noting the personal connection to the storm’s impact.
The organization is also assisting in the Asheville area in North Carolina, where rivers overflowed, causing significant damage.
Volunteers from across the country are being rallied to assist with the recovery efforts, including mudding out homes, cutting down trees, and other vital activities to help affected homeowners, it said.
Convoy of Hope is another Christian group making significant contributions, particularly in Perry, Florida, which has suffered from multiple hurricanes over the past year. According to an update on its website, they have initiated a drive-thru distribution of groceries, water and hygiene kits.
The group quoted a resident of Perry as saying, “It was like an earthquake.”
“We’re so grateful for you being here,” Pastor Dave of Perry’s First Assembly of God Church said. “I told my friends, ‘Help is here.’ You people are incredible.”
The Salvation Army has also been active, deploying 10 mobile feeding units immediately as the storm approached and putting an additional 35 on standby. These units are serving up to 1,500 meals per day to those affected, the group said in a statement sent to The Christian Post.
“In times of crisis, we stand united with communities facing hardship,” Kenneth G. Hodder, national commander of The Salvation Army, said.
As of late Saturday, the Salvation Army’s efforts included meal provision in several emergency shelters across Georgia and support for local disaster workforce meals.
Moody’s Analytics estimates that Helene caused between $15 to $26 billion in property damage across affected states, with more than 3 million people still without power.
