Samaritan’s Purse Responds to Iowa Tornado Devastation

As Iowa recovers from a recent strike of tornadoes, Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s Rapid Response Team are helping locals clean up the damage.

Last Thursday, an estimated 27 tornadoes hit Iowa, damaging businesses and homes, toppling trees, displacing automobiles, and injuring many. Residents have been shaken by this natural disaster.

Julie Owen from Des Moines was in Marshalltown during the tornado: “It was bad. I’ve seen a lot of tornado stuff (in the past) … It’s not like the whole town is destroyed, but downtown, a city of this size, it was something else,” CNN reports.

Samaritan’s Purse says that “The storm churned through Marshalltown’s central business district, leaving significant destruction in its wake.” Over 700 homes were damaged. Other nearby towns affected were Pella and Bondurant.

Since the devastation, Samaritan’s Purse has sent staff, disaster response specialists, and supplies to the area. They are also recruiting volunteers on their website to assist in the relief effort: “Volunteers will assist with debris cleanup, roof tarping and chainsaw work,” Samaritan’s Purse writes.

Focusing their efforts on Marshalltown, Samaritan’s Purse aims to meet the physical as well as spiritual needs of the community. Its president, Franklin Graham, says, “Many families are devastated by the twisters that tore through…