Samaritan’s Purse helps rebuild Floridian communities after Hurricane Ian

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WBTV) - Samaritan’s Purse sent a North Carolina-based team to Florida on Thursday to help with rebuilding and ministry after devastation from Hurricane Ian.

“There’s a lot of need here,” Jason Kimak, the senior director of North American ministries for Samaritan’s Purse, said.

Kimak is part of a team currently stationed in Fort Myers.

“A lot of them are in a state of shock,” he said. “There’s a desperation piece to it. There’s no fuel in the area, no water, electricity’s been off. And there’s a little bit of a feeling of hopelessness.”

Samaritan’s Purse sent 20 people, along with relief supplies out of North Wilkesboro, to Fort Myers and other affected communities on Thursday.

“We’re helping people tarp the rooves, we’re helping people clean up debris, and we’re helping mud out homes,” Kimak said.

He expects hundreds more volunteers to make their way there in the coming weeks.

If you want to help, you can volunteer or donate. You can learn how to do that here.

Related: North Carolina reports four storm-related deaths due to Hurricane Ian

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