Liberty team continues hurricane cleanup in Asheville over Winter Break, four more service trips planned this spring

Earlier this month, a 12-member team from Liberty University traveled to Asheville, N.C., to assist Samaritan’s Purse in rebuilding efforts in the region devastated by Hurricane Helene in September 2024. The LU Serve Now program has sent multiple student volunteer teams to the area to help residents recover.

On the latest trip, which ran Jan. 11-16, the group installed insulation and subflooring, painted walls, framed houses, and more to provide permanent shelter for those affected by the storm.

“The Lord has called us to go serve others,” said elementary education junior Gideon Wise. “This is such a great opportunity our school offers, so all of us wanted to go down and help people, see who was hurting and just help in any way we could.”

LU Serve project coordinator and trip leader Emily Jackson, who traveled to Perry, Fla., immediately after Hurricane Helene in 2024 to help Samaritan’s Purse, emphasized the importance of continuing to serve those affected by the hurricane in the months and years following the tragedy.

“When a disaster strikes, so much of the time everyone’s focus is on it, and you see the devastation on the news and the articles and everything. After a few months, that kind of goes away. But there are still so many people affected.”

In addition to meeting physical needs, Liberty’s team and Samaritan’s Purse also prioritized meeting residents’ spiritual needs. This meant approaching every situation as an opportunity to share Christ’s love through service.

“It’s so important to be in the community there because there are so many people that are affected by it who aren’t living in a home,” Jackson said. “They aren’t living in a good place. Sending teams there to rebuild and help in sharing the love of Jesus is the biggest thing. Obviously, we are here to be the hands and feet of Jesus. But ultimately, the work He can do in their hearts is way beyond what we could ever do.”

While the team spent a couple days working as a full group on specific projects, they spent most of the week split into two work crews. This provided students the chance to form tight bonds with their peers and impact even more people with the Gospel.

Recently, Liberty instituted a new program that grants full-time eligible employees who volunteer and are selected for active service with LU Serve Now up to a week of paid leave. Team leader Owen Baker, who serves as the marketing and communication team lead for Liberty Information Services, said he appreciated the opportunity to serve in a different capacity.

“It was an amazing experience to get out of the office and the normal job I have and have an impact in a different way. It was really cool to work along with the students. They were so on fire with helping others and represented Liberty so well. I received several compliments from Samaritan’s Purse and some of the other foremen and construction workers who were there.”

LU Serve has organized at least four trips for the Spring 2026 semester.

From Feb. 1-7, Liberty will send its fourth team to Lahaina, Hawaii, in response to the 2023 wildfires that severely damaged the area.

The following week, a team of Liberty faculty and staff will visit San Angelo, Texas, to assist in rebuild efforts following flooding in the area last July.

Over Spring Break, students will travel to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to serve alongside World Gospel Outreach in food distribution and clean water projects. LU Serve previously sent a team to the area in Fall 2025.

A second team will return to Asheville over Spring Break to continue working with Samaritan’s Purse in rebuild efforts related to Hurricane Helene.

“(LU Serve trips) are such a cool opportunity for so many different things,” Wise said. “One, you get to travel the country — or maybe out of the country.  You can experience new places, meet new people, interact with people you wouldn’t otherwise interact with. You also get to be the hands and feet of the Lord and have an impact you can see. It’s very tangible. That is really encouraging to my faith, and I think it would be encouraging to anybody.”

Liberty has a longstanding reputation for community service, consistently partnering with humanitarian aid organizations during times of need. LU Serve Now provides multiple opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to respond to natural disasters alongside partner organizations that embrace and support Liberty’s mission and purpose. Those interested in participating are encouraged to apply online.