The Good Samaritan Ministry (Good Sams) is a non-profit, non-denominational charity that serves the poor and those coping with emergencies in the Louisiana towns of Slidell, Alton, and Pearl River (population approximately 30,000 of a 242,000 parish population).  Established in 1993 as an outreach ministry of St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church, Good Sams has funded its ministry primarily through tithing from St. Luke and St. Margaret Mary Catholic Churches, private donations and grant/fund-raising awards. With a staff of over one hundred five volunteers and donated office space, Good Sams allocates 100% of its budget to funding direct services to the needy.

The mission of the Good Samaritan Ministry is to provide immediate financial assistance to those experiencing dire circumstances while connecting them to case management agencies that can provide longer-term assistance. Anyone can experience crisis in their life. Good Sams helps families in crisis. This assistance stabilizes a volatile situation to allow time for planning a lasting solution. These life-altering changes include re-entering the workforce, finding affordable housing, securing affordable life-giving medications or providing for children's daily needs. Our financial assistance steadies the crisis and our collaboration with social services partners allows us to educate clients on the available programs that can help them prevent the crisis in the future.