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Do not fill this in! == Response to the COVID-19 outbreak == === Italy === On March 17, 2020, Samaritan's Purse dispatched over 60 disaster response specialists, 20 tons of medical equipment and a field hospital to [[Cremona]], [[Italy]] which started operations on March 20, 2020.<ref name="USATODAY1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/31/coronavirus-central-park-hospital-treat-new-york-city-patients/5094590002/|title=An emergency field hospital to treat COVID-19 patients is opening in NYC's Central Park|last=Reyes|first=Lorenzo|website=[[USA Today]]|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/health/samaritans-purse-central-park-field-hospital-takes-in-first-patient-in-coronavirus-fight|title=Samaritan's Purse Central Park field hospital takes in first patient in coronavirus fight|last=Rambaran|first=Vandana|website=[[Fox News]]|date=April 1, 2020|access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/corbella-canadians-helping-in-the-centre-of-italys-covid-19-storm/|title=Corbella: Canadians helping in the centre of Italy's COVID-19 storm|last=Corbella|first=Licia|website=Calgary Herald|date=March 26, 2020|access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref><ref name="Independent1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-new-york-field-hospital-central-park-gay-right-arrest-christian-a9451366.html|title=Coronavirus: Gay-rights activist arrested protesting at New York field hospital run by controversial Christian group|last=Vallejo|first=Justin|website=[[The Independent]]|date=April 6, 2020|access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref> === Alaska === Samaritans' Purse airlifted 8 tons of medical supplies to [[Alaska]] on April 7, 2020, to help provide supplies to remote communities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Samaritan's Purse jet lands in Alaska with massive shipment of medical gear for coronavirus response|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/samaritans-purse-jet-alaska-massive-shipment-medical-gear-coronavirus|last1=Rulz|first1=Michael|date=April 7, 2020|work=[[Fox News]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Samaritan's Purse donates over 17,000 pounds of medical supplies to Alaska|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/samaritans-purse-donates-over-17000-pounds-of-medical-supplies-to-alaska/ar-BB12hNFD|last1=Leseman|first1=Matt|date=April 8, 2020|work=Microsoft News|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Governor Dunleavy Thanks Samaritan's Purse for Medical Supplies|url=https://gov.alaska.gov/newsroom/2020/04/06/governor-dunleavy-thanks-samaritans-purse-for-medical-supplies/|date=April 6, 2020|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref> === New York === In cooperation with [[New York City|New York City's]] [[Mount Sinai Hospital (Manhattan)|Mount Sinai Hospital]], Samaritan's Purse constructed a 14 tent, 68-bed [[field hospital]] in [[Central Park]] on March 29, 2020, to increase Mount Sinai's surge capacity.<ref name="USATODAY1" /><ref name="BUSINESSINSIDER1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/central-park-field-hospital-org-samaritans-purse-were-at-war-2020-4|title=What it's like inside the Central Park field hospital in New York City: 'Our country is in a war'|first1=Anna|last1=Miller|work=[[Business Insider]]|date=April 9, 2020|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2020/samaritans-purse-in-collaboration-with-mount-sinai-health-system-opens-emergency-field-hospital-in-new-yorks-central-park-in-response-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic-pr|title=Samaritan's Purse, in Collaboration with Mount Sinai Health System, Opens Emergency Field Hospital in New York's Central Park in Response to the Coronavirus Pandemic|website=Mount Sinai Hospital|date=April 1, 2020|access-date=2020-04-11}}</ref> Through April, over 190 people were treated there. By early May, all patients had been discharged, and there were plans to dismantle the tents.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last1=Stack|first1=Liam|last2=Fink|first2=Sheri|date=2020-05-10|title=Franklin Graham Is Taking Down His N.Y. Hospital, but Not Going Quietly|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/nyregion/franklin-graham-samaritans-purse-central-park-hospital-tent-coronavirus.html|access-date=2020-05-10|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> ==== Criticism ==== Before the field hospital opened, journalists, politicians and LGBTQ activists raised concerns that it was only recruiting Christian medical staff and that it would provide inadequate and discriminatory care.<ref name="Independent1" /><ref name="Independent2">{{Cite web|title=Coronavirus: Radical evangelist who says gays will burn in 'flames of hell' builds Covid-19 hospital in Central Park|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-hospital-central-park-franklin-graham-anti-gay-christian-volunteers-a9441376.html|last1=Riota|first1=Chris|date=April 1, 2020|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=New Yorkers Are Right to Be Skeptical of Evangelical-Run Coronavirus Ward in Central Park|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-yorkers-are-right-to-be-skeptical-of-samaritans-purses-evangelical-coronavirus-ward-in-central-park|last1=Merritt|first1=Jonathan|date=April 2, 2020|work=[[The Daily Beast]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The group building tents for coronavirus treatment in Central Park says its medical staff must adhere to Christian beliefs, sparking condemnation online|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/evangelical-christian-coronavirus-tents-central-park-new-york-samaritan-purse-2020-3|last1=Greenspan|first1=Rachel|date=March 31, 2020|work=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Bias and health care don't mix: Samaritan's Purse shouldn't be welcome in New York, not even to treat the coronavirus|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-bias-and-health-care-20200407-bfmargg475fqlnjmcvxekrj3hm-story.html|last1=McGovern|first1=Terry|last2=Battistini|first2=Emily|date=April 7, 2020|work=[[New York Daily News]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref name="NYDailyNews1">{{Cite web|title=Be a good Samaritan: N.Y. lawmaker calls out minister for anti-LGBTQ remarks|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-brad-hoylman-franklin-graham-good-samaritan-20200330-77lvp2btgzcr7inmrdswuijvda-story.html|last1=McGovern|first1=Terry|last2=Slattery|first2=Denis|date=March 30, 2020|work=[[New York Daily News]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref> According to ''[[NBC News]]'' and ''[[Gothamist]]'', volunteers are required to adhere to a [[Creed|statement of faith]], agreeing to a [[definition of marriage]] as "exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female" and acknowledging that "[God] will banish the unrighteous to everlasting punishment in hell."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Offenhartz|first=Jake|date=2020-03-30|title=Group Behind Central Park Coronavirus Tent Hospital Asks Volunteers To Support Anti-Gay Agenda|url=https://gothamist.com/news/samaritans-purse-franklin-graham-anti-gay-evangelical-central-park|access-date=2020-03-31|website=[[Gothamist]]|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web|title=Group behind NYC's COVID-19 field hospital run by antigay evangelist|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/group-behind-central-park-s-covid-19-field-hospital-run-n1173396|access-date=2020-04-01|website=[[NBC News]]|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=staff/jake-offenhartz|date=2020-03-31|title=De Blasio "Very Concerned" About Anti-Gay Evangelical Group Running Central Park Coronavirus Hospital|url=https://gothamist.com/news/de-blasio-samaritans-purse-central-park-coronavirus-hospital|access-date=2020-04-01|website=[[Gothamist]]|language=en}}</ref> New York Mayor [[Bill de Blasio]] stated that the presence of Samaritan's Purse was "very troubling," while New York State Senator [[Brad Hoylman]] told ''NBC News'' that he considered it "a shame that the federal government has left us in the position of having to accept charity from such bigots".<ref name="Independent2" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Protester Arrested At Central Park Tent Hospital Tied To Anti-Gay Evangelical Franklin Graham|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/protester-arrest-samaritans-purse-franklin-graham_n_5e8bde49c5b6e1a2e0f8bc88?ri18n=true|last1=Papenfuss|first1=Mary|date=April 7, 2020|work=[[HuffPost]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Catholic group slams de Blasio for questioning Christian charity's New York coronavirus field hospital|url=https://www.foxnews.com/us/catholic-group-slams-de-blasio-questioning-new-york-coronavirus-field-hospital|last1=Chakraborty|first1=Barnini|date=April 3, 2020|work=[[Fox News]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/group-behind-central-park-s-covid-19-field-hospital-run-n1173396|title=Group behind NYC's COVID-19 field hospital run by antigay evangelist|website=[[NBC News]]|language=en|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref> Franklin Graham later responded to Hoylman's request for public reassurance by stating: "We do not make distinctions about an individual's religion, race, sexual orientation, or economic status. We certainly do not discriminate, and we have a decades-long track record that confirms just that."<ref name="USATODAY1" /><ref name="NYDailyNews1" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Protester arrested at NYC COVID-19 field hospital run by anti-gay evangelist|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/protester-arrested-n-y-c-covid-19-field-hospital-run-n1177546|last1=Sopelsa|first1=Brooke|date=April 6, 2020|work=[[NBC News]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref> New York City's Commission on Human Rights closed an investigation into the hospital after finding no evidence it had discriminated against patients.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Stack|first1=Liam|last2=Fink|first2=Sheri|date=May 10, 2020|title=Franklin Graham Is Taking Down His N.Y. Hospital, but Not Going Quietly|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/10/nyregion/franklin-graham-samaritans-purse-central-park-hospital-tent-coronavirus.html|access-date=May 10, 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The group's departure was hailed as a victory by LGBTQ rights activists.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Yensi|first=Amy|date=May 3, 2020|title=LGBTQ Advocates Hold Protest as Samaritan's Purse Winds Down Coronavirus Outreach|language=en-US|work=[[NY1]]|url=https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2020/05/03/lgbtq-advocates-hold-protest-as-samaritan-s-purse-winds-down-coronavirus-outreach}}</ref> Volunteers are required to adhere to a [[Creed|statement of faith]], agreeing to a [[definition of marriage]] as "exclusively the union of one genetic male and one genetic female" and acknowledging that "[God] will banish the unrighteous to everlasting punishment in hell."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gothamist.com/news/samaritans-purse-franklin-graham-anti-gay-evangelical-central-park|title=Group Behind Central Park Coronavirus Tent Hospital Asks Volunteers To Support Anti-Gay Agenda|last=Offenhartz|first=Jake|date=2020-03-30|website=[[Gothamist]]|language=en|access-date=2020-03-31}}</ref><ref name=":0"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gothamist.com/news/de-blasio-samaritans-purse-central-park-coronavirus-hospital|title=De Blasio "Very Concerned" About Anti-Gay Evangelical Group Running Central Park Coronavirus Hospital|last=staff/jake-offenhartz|date=2020-03-31|website=[[Gothamist]]|language=en|access-date=2020-04-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Matthew |title=Fact check: Does Christian aid group require COVID-19 responders to sign anti-LGBTQ statement? |url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/04/06/fact-check-covid-19-responders-required-sign-anti-lgbtq-statement/2955105001/ |access-date=10 March 2022 |work=[[USA Today]]}}</ref> Joint plans between Mount Sinai Hospital, Samaritan's Purse and the [[Episcopal Diocese of New York]] to convert the [[Cathedral of St. John the Divine]] into a 200-bed hospital were shelved on April 9, 2020. Although this decision was attributed at least in part to the assessment that virus-related hospitalizations had already plateaued,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Coronavirus: New York cathedral to become a field hospital|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-new-york-cathedral-st-john-church-field-hospital-a9453606.html|last1=Bailey|first1=Sarah|date=April 7, 2020|work=[[The Independent]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Plan for Cathedral Hospital Stalls Amid Concern Over Evangelical Role|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/nyregion/st-john-the-divine-franklin-graham.html|last1=Stack|first1=Liam|date=April 9, 2020|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=April 11, 2020}}</ref> Bishop [[Andrew M. L. Dietsche|Andrew M.L. Dietsche]] of the Episcopal Diocese of New York later said that Graham's "exclusionary" and "narrow" attitude about Christianity was central to the decision. Specifically, the Samaritan's Purse requires its employees and volunteers to oppose gay marriage, which, in Dietsche's words, was incompatible with the work the New York Diocese had done "around the full inclusion of gay and lesbian people."<ref name=":1" /> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page