Hattiesburg, Miss. (August 28, 2012) – Salvation Army forces have begun marshaling in Hattiesburg, Mississippi ahead of Hurricane Isaac.
Twelve feeding units, a 54’ field kitchen, and up to 60 personnel have begun arriving in Hattiesburg in advance of Hurricane Isaac. An additional 12 feeding units will deploy directly from their community to affected areas immediately following the storm
Located roughly 70 miles inland, Hattiesburg provides a secure location to marshal Salvation Army forces, while also providing access to most coastal areas within two hours.
Current preparations will allow The Salvation Army to not only respond quickly to Hurricane Isaac, but to also respond en mass.
With a combined daily feeding capacity of over 31,000 meals, the 24 feeding units and field kitchen will provide the flexibility needed to reach into multiple communities and neighborhoods.
In addition to feeding, The Salvation Army is staffing each unit with emotional and spiritual care teams available to talk, pray and comfort those affected by the storm.
The Salvation Army encourages all residents of areas in the storm’s path to prepare an Emergency supply kit and stay informed to all warnings. Disaster response professionals recommend having a three to five day supply of food and water for each individual of your family as well as flashlights, medication, and battery powered radio.
For more information regarding The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Service program please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by the 2012 Hurricane Season to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
Donors may also contribute $10 via their phone bill by text* messaging the word “Storm” to 80888, and confirming the donation with the word,“Yes.”
Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301. Please designate “2012 Hurricane Season” on all checks.
At this point, in-kind donations are not being accepted. Used clothing and used furniture are seldom required during an incident. However, these gifts are vitally important in supporting the day-to-day work of your local Salvation Army. Please consider giving these items to your local Salvation Army Family Store or dial 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).
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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 128 years in the United States. Nearly 29 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. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.