Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast in late August 2005. More than 1,200 people were killed, and entire communities were wiped out. An army of 1,300 Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains ministered to thousands of people in the hardest-hit areas. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Melissa Phillip)
Franklin Graham visits with a woman living in a shelter after Hurricane Katrina. “When a disaster like Katrina strikes, we go in the Name of Jesus Christ, put our arms around those who are suffering, and tell them of God’s grace and strength to see them through their trials," Graham said.
Hurricane Ike took dozens of lives when it hit the Gulf Coast and the Caribbean in September 2008. Crisis-trained Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains deployed to offer emotional and spiritual care to people who were hurting. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc along the East Coast, particularly in North Carolina, in August 2011. The storm spawned several tornadoes and was responsible for multiple deaths. Here, chaplains minister to a homeowner in New Bern, North Carolina.
In August 2012, Hurricane Isaac caused devastation after stalling out over the Gulf Coast. Some residents had just finished rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina. “The people we talked to say, ‘We’re done. We’re not coming back here,'" said chaplain Al New “They’re full of fear. We’re trying to love on them and show them they’re not alone.” (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
This photo was taken on October 31, 2012 in Seaside Heights, one of the New Jersey beach towns devastated by Superstorm Sandy. Teams of Billy Graham chaplains deployed to three New Jersey locations where they spent months ministering to people who were suffering. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
Dozens of chaplains responded after Hurricane Harvey devastated areas of Texas and Louisiana in late August 2017. More than 60 people lost their lives in the hurricane, which was one of the costliest storms in history, causing more than $100 billion in damage. Chaplains continued to minister to residents for more than a year after the hurricane hit.
Hurricane Irma came on the heels of Harvey and made landfall in Florida (pictured here) as a Category 4 storm. Irma was quickly followed by Hurricane Maria, one of the most intense storms on record. Maria caused thousands of deaths in the Caribbean, particularly Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplain comforts a resident in New Bern, North Carolina, after Hurricane Florence caused catastrophic damage and took more than 50 lives in September 2018.
A longtime Billy Graham chaplain and retired firefighter prays with a member of the Army National Guard after Hurricane Michael struck Florida's Gulf Coast as a Category 5 storm.
In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian ravaged the Caribbean, particularly the Bahamas, after making landfall as a monster Category 5 storm. Chaplains deployed to Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas, to share the hope of Christ with the people there.
A dedicated network of Billy Graham Rapid Team chaplains is ready to deploy at a moment's notice when a natural disaster strikes. As the peak of hurricane season gets closer, please pray for those in the path of the storms. To help send crisis-trained chaplains where they're needed most, give to the Rapid Response Team.
