Volunteers Respond to Help Salvation Army Prepare for Distribution

Austin, TX (September 16, 2011) – Seventy-eight volunteers responded to The Salvation Army’s appeal for help, Thursday, sorting the overwhelming number of items received through the “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” campaign benefitting wildfire survivors.

Doors at The Salvation Army Central Texas Wildfire Relief Center, located at 12317 Technology Blvd. #300, Austin, will open at 9:00 AM, Friday, September 16, for distribution.

Thanks to the tireless work of dedicated volunteers and staff, the facility has been transformed from an empty warehouse to a place where individuals will find hope, encouragement, and a new start. Families who lost their homes following Central Texas wildfires will be able to freely select items from the Wildfire Relief Center including clothing, shoes, toiletries, water, and household items. Proof of residence will be required in order to qualify for assistance. The Salvation Army will also provide these families with gift cards to help support their recovery. Please call (512) 476-1111 if you have questions regarding The Salvation Army distribution.

As she left the warehouse today, one volunteer commented, “It’s amazing what we have been able to accomplish since Tuesday afternoon. We have unloaded seven trucks, sorted most of the items and have set up our very own Salvation Army store! I’ll be back again tomorrow and hope to bring some friends along to help.” Volunteers are needed on an ongoing basis during the Relief Centers hours of operation, Monday-Saturday, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.

In Bastrop yesterday, two Salvation Army mobile feeding units circled the Tahitian Village community, where residents returned to assess the damage to their property for the first time since the wildfires devastated the area. Salvation Army staff was able to talk with, and in some cases pray with people, while passing out drinks and snacks. Assistance will once again be provided in this area on Friday. Since arriving in Bastrop County, Salvation Army feeding units have served more than 23,500 drinks, 6,000 snacks and 1,600 meals.

In-kind donations are no longer needed but monetary donations are requested to support The Salvation Army Texas Wildfire Relief. Financial contributions can be made by:

·         MAIL – please send checks to The Salvation Army, PO Box 36607, Dallas,                   TX 75235

·         PHONE at 1-800-SAL-ARMY

·         ONLINE at www.salvationarmytexas.org

For more information about The Salvation Army’s disaster response effort, please go to www.Facebook.com/SalvationArmyTexas, www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org, or www.salvationarmytexas.org.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.