Samaritan’s Purse, led by Franklin Graham, has airlifted more than 38,000 pounds of emergency relief supplies to Jamaica after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa tore through the island, leaving widespread destruction and thousands homeless.
Less than 48 hours after Melissa made landfall with winds topping 185 mph, the North Carolina-based Christian relief organization deployed its Disaster Assistance Response Team and began unloading critical aid in Kingston.
"Hurricane Melissa has pummeled Jamaica and left tens of thousands of families in urgent need of help," Graham told Fox News Digital.Â
"Entire communities have been ripped apart, flooded and left in ruins. Many families just had their entire world disintegrate around them. We already have 38,000 pounds of relief supplies and teams on the ground with more on the way. We want these people to know that God loves and cares for them. He sees their pain — they have not been forgotten."
US RESCUE TEAMS TO DESCEND ON HARD-HIT CARIBBEAN AFTER CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE MELISSA'S IMPACT
The first Samaritan’s Purse cargo flight, a B757 from the organization’s Airlift Response Center in Greensboro, carried 1,500 family kits filled with tarps, ropes, solar lights, jerry cans and water filters. A second flight, a DC-8 jet, is scheduled to depart Friday carrying two community water filtration systems, each capable of providing clean water for 10,000 people a day along with additional supplies and medical teams.
Edward Graham, the organization’s chief operating officer and Franklin Graham’s son, said crews were preparing even before the storm struck. "Before Hurricane Melissa even hit, our teams were standing by — closely coordinating with our church partners in Jamaica, preparing supplies, and loading our aircraft," he said. "Now our disaster response specialists are on the ground, and we are hard at work to provide relief to families who are hurting. Please pray for Jamaica and these families who have lost so much."
The storm knocked out power to much of the island, severed communications, and flooded entire neighborhoods in Jamaica’s southern parishes. Airport staff who processed the Samaritan’s Purse cargo said it was the first relief shipment to arrive.
Dave Holzhauer, who leads the organization’s disaster response in Jamaica, described the devastation as "heartbreaking." "Entire hospitals, schools, and homes have been wiped out, and many families who were just beginning to recover from previous storms are now starting over again," he said. "Floodwaters remain high in some communities, and the need for hope and practical support is overwhelming. We’re working urgently to reach the hardest-hit areas — places that are still cut off by debris and flooding — with life-saving aid and the love of Christ."
The relief effort is being coordinated with Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and more than 250 local church partners through Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child network. Officials say the group is prepared to provide mobile medical teams and emergency water systems as hospitals struggle to reopen.
Vincent Rose, a church partner in southern Jamaica, said many communities remain isolated. "We lost communication early yesterday morning and are still without power — possibly for days to come," he said. "It’s very bad on our side. Crews are trying to clear the main thoroughfare so the emergency restoration process can begin. As for us, we’re okay, though a lot of water came into our home after shingles blew off the roof. Please continue to pray for everyone here as we begin to recover."
Franklin Graham said Samaritan’s Purse chaplains trained through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association have also joined the deployment to provide emotional and spiritual care. "Our mission is to meet physical needs while sharing the hope of Jesus Christ," he said. "As we deliver supplies and clean water, we’re also reminding families they are not alone."
Melissa became one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Caribbean, with winds topping 185 mph and widespread flooding and landslides reported across Jamaica. The hurricane left thousands without shelter and triggered a nationwide blackout.
Samaritan’s Purse says additional relief flights are planned in the coming days as crews continue assessing needs. The organization, which has responded to disasters around the world since 1970, is asking for continued prayers and support.
For more information on the organization’s efforts or to donate, visit samaritanspurse.org.
