By Ray Cardello for October 8, 2024, Season 29 / Post 9

The Federal Government can either continue to be embarrassed or learn from the private groups that see problems or suffering and react. Many of the states in the Southeast are still digging out from the wrath of Helene as they wait for massive rainfalls coming this week. The death toll continues to rise, and we know the count has been suppressed for some reason. This storm will go into the books as the deadliest ever to hit the United States. People still lack water, power, and means to communicate with their families, but Biden says that everyone impacted is getting all they need. He actually said the people of North Carolina are happy with the response of the Feds. The truth is that many of these communities have not yet seen anyone from FEMA. What they have seen is massive trucks filled with supplies. These trucks don’t carry the USA logo but are emblazoned with the words Samaritan’s Purse.

Samaritan’s Purse was founded by Franklin Graham and is now under the watchful eyes of Franklin’s son and grandson. Samaritan’s Purse is charged with responding to needs anywhere in the country. When Helene hit, the trucks of Samaritan’s Purse were heading to the Carolinas and Georgia before the rain stopped. Samaritan’s Purse is not the only private enterprise helping victims of Helene, but they may be the biggest and most effective. They are what FEMA should be, but in a government overrun by bloat and inefficienc. They never will be. Our government is designed to be inefficient, which is why private groups like Samaritan’s and Tunnel to Towers thrive and get the headlines.

Samaritan’s has nearly 6,000 volunteers spreading their care across North Carolina. Food, water, shelter, generators, and Starlink receivers are but some of what they are distributing. SP has even commandeered two Black Hawk choppers to be able to move large quantities of supplies to the hardest hit regions cut off from help by failed infrastructure. Their presence and reputation are swelling, and the people of North Carolina are looking past FEMA and pinning their hopes for the future on Samaritan’s Purse.

Private charities have existed for years. The Red Cross, Catholic Charities, and United Way are but a few of the more recognizable, but we have entered a new era of Private vs Government. Private is kicking butt. Samaritan’s Purse and Tunnels to Towers are the two that put themselves above the others. We are witnessing firsthand what the private sector can do with Helene, but what the Tunnels to Towers group is doing with Gold Star families, our men and women in uniform injured catastrophically in service to their country, and now they have pledged to end veteran homelessness. Frank Siller is on a mission to honor his brother, Stephen, who died on 9-11, charging into the towers with no regard for his safety but for others. That is the model for Frank’s work.

The Grahams are on a mission to help others in the name of God and Siller for God and his brother. Maybe we have found the reason they are different than the government. The government seems to have no mission other than self-preservation. If I ever need a hand-up, I hope the person reaching out is not the government.