Samaritan's Purse, the international Christian disaster relief group headed by Rev. Franklin Graham, is set to dedicate a new airlift response center in Greensboro, North Carolina, as it expands its aircraft fleet to better serve those in need.
The Greensboro Airlift Response Center will be dedicated by CEO Graham on Tuesday, Sept. 26, according to a press release shared with Fox News Digital .
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.
The new Greensboro Airlift Response Center will support Samaritan's Purse's two largest cargo aircraft, a press release from the organization said. This includes a "newly acquired Boeing 757," the group said.
"The more than 62,000-square-foot response center includes a 55,000-square-foot hangar, office space, and the capacity to facilitate a wide range of aircraft maintenance activities," said Samaritan's Purse.
It will be staffed by 21 people, "including pilots, flight engineers, load masters, maintenance personnel and additional flight support staff."
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"Disasters and crises are happening more and more frequently around the world. Things aren’t getting better. They seem to be getting worse, and we want to help those who are suffering when their needs are greatest," Graham shared in a statement with Fox News Digital.
Graham noted that aviation "allows us to respond quickly when disasters strike."
He added, "We couldn't do it without these tools and this team. We thank God for the new Greensboro Airlift Response Center and our two cargo planes that give us the ability to meet needs in Jesus’ name."
Samaritan's Purse recently acquired a Boeing 757 freighter plane in January 2022, and installed "extensive upgrades in avionics and communication systems," the organization said.
The Boeing 757 freighter airplane has a cargo hold equal to that of three tractor trailers, said Samaritan's Purse, and can carry up to 67,000 pounds of cargo. This will enable Samaritan's Purse to better "respond to disasters at a moment's notice."
The FAA gave the charity the all-clear to use its new plane in August 2023.
The Boeing 757 has already been put to work helping those in need, just days after it was cleared by the FAA.
"The 757 completed its first relief mission on Sept. 1, airlifting 24 tons of cargo to Maui, Hawaii, where volunteers are helping wildfire victims begin to recover," said Samaritan's Purse.
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Since 2016, Samaritan's Purse has flown 185 flights to 55 countries on aid missions, including in Turkey, Haiti and Iraq, the group reported.
In total, the organization has shipped nearly 8 million pounds of cargo from Greensboro, North Carolina.
"The Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 has made 41 roundtrip flights for Ukraine, carrying an Emergency Field Hospital and 1.5 million pounds of desperately needed relief supplies," the group said.
The DC-8 and the 757 are two of Samaritan's Purse's 24 total aircraft, which also includes two helicopters.
"Since 1975, Samaritan’s Purse has used aircraft to transport doctors and relief workers along with tons of food, medicine, shelter materials, blankets, and other items to aid victims of natural disasters, war, famine and other emergencies," the organization said.
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