Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse to dedicate newly constructed homes for Kentucky tornado survivors
Samaritan's Purse, the international Christian disaster relief group headed by Rev. Franklin Graham, a son of Billy Graham, will dedicate the first homes in a new subdivision for families whose homes were destroyed in a 2021 tornado.
On Dec. 10, 2021, tornadoes ripped through western Kentucky, killing 57 people and injuring over 500, as Fox News Digital reported at the time.
The city of Mayfield was hit quite hard — and many people lost everything.
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In response to the devastation, Samaritan's Purse built New Hope Acres, a new 60-home subdivision for those who lost their homes in the tornado.
The first 16 of these homes will be dedicated on Friday, Sept. 29, and given to their new owners.
Graham "will meet the families, dedicate each house to God, and welcome these families home," said Samaritan's Purse in information shared with Fox News Digital.
New Hope Acres, a housing development built by Samaritan's Purse, will have 60 homes. The first 16 will be dedicated on Friday, Sept. 29. (Getty Images/Samaritan's Purse)
Samaritan's Purse is a "nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world," its website notes.
Since its founding in 1970, "Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ," the website also says.
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The organization has been on the ground in Mayfield since the storms cleared.
"I was in Mayfield shortly after the storm hit, and the damage was indescribable. So many people were in shock and suffering — everything they had was gone in an instant," said Graham in a press release from the organization.
Samaritan's Purse assisted in both immediate clean-up efforts and in long-term rebuilding, the release noted.
One of the homes built in Kentucky by Samaritan's Purse is shown here. (Samaritan's Purse)
Homes in the New Hope Acres subdivision will be fully furnished, Samaritan's Purse noted — and provided to the owners for free.
The subdivision will include houses with two, three and four bedrooms.
Latasha and Dennis Hayes will be receiving one of the homes on Friday. The married couple survived the tornado at a friend's house, where they huddled with eight of their friends and family members.
"We were blessed to walk out of something so devastating."
The room where they rode out the tornado was the only one to withstand the storm, said Samaritan's Purse.
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"We shouldn’t have made it out, so we were blessed to walk out of something so devastating," said Latasha Hayes.
She said she was "overjoyed" to receive the new home and is happy for the "fresh start" it will bring.
A series of tornadoes in December 2021 killed dozens of people and destroyed many houses in Mayfield, Kentucky. (Fox News Digital)
In addition to the 60 homes within New Hope Acres, Samaritan's Purse has worked on other construction and rebuilding projects in the area.
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Samaritan's Purse has built 14 homes in the greater Mayfield area, with another seven in the works.
The charity also provided furniture for 100 families who lost items in the tornado; in addition, it installed 174 tornado shelters.
"I thank God that Samaritan’s Purse was able to respond immediately with thousands of volunteers and that we’re now able to complete these new homes to help families get back on their feet," said Graham of the organization's ongoing efforts.
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"We are providing these homes in New Hope Acres for free," he added.
"We want the people of Mayfield to know that God loves them."
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