Samaritan's Purse continues to buy, build, and expand in Wilkes with more people employed here.  Last week, a spokesperson for Samaritan's Purse presented their expansion plans to the North Wilkesboro Town Board.  In the coming year, Samaritan’s Purse will build a three-story office building on the 3.9 acre site where the old Nancy King Textiles facility is on Elkin Highway. The 150 jobs in the new 50,000 square foot building will be in addition to 178 people who work in the organization’s nearby 202,000-square-foot warehouse and office building, completed in May 2017.  Earlier this year, Samaritan’s Purse bought a building behind the North Wilkesboro warehouse from Wilkes Community College for $175,000. This building at 122 White Pine Street, is being renovated for use as a training center for Samaritan’s Purse employees.