Devibhagavatapurana 3.15.57

3.15.57

ārtasya rakṣaṇe puṇyaṃ yajñādhikamudāhṛtam |
bhayatastasya dīnasya viśeṣaphaladaṃ smṛtam ||

To give protection to any distressed person is to acquire merits higher than performing a sacrifice. Therefore to protect one who is very much afflicted with fear and who is helpless will have still higher merits.