The Salvation Army Responds to Puna Lava Flow

Hilo, Hawaii, HI [May 5, 2018] – Emergency Disaster Services [EDS] personnel and volunteers from The Salvation Army are responding to the current lava flow in Leilani Estates. The team provided 50 cases of bottled water for the shelter at the Pahoa Community Center on Thursday evening and served 76 meals at the Pahoa shelter on Friday. In addition, The County of Hawaii is working with The Salvation Army and community and business partners to set up a donation distribution center in Puna. The location is to be determined and will be announced soon.

“The Salvation Army’s EDS team in East Hawaii has been activated and we are providing assistance as needed with meal service, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care at the shelters in Pahoa,” said Lt. Micheal Stack, Divisional Youth & Mens Ministry Secretary and Emergency Disaster Services Coordinator for The Salvation Army – Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division. “During emergencies, the best way the public can help is to provide monetary donations which allows the delivery of the exact relief supplies a community needs. Plus, The Salvation Army uses one-hundred percent of all donations designated ‘disaster relief’ in support of disaster operations.”

In addition, large volume meal donations are being requested from local restaurants and certified kitchens [due to health safety food preparation standards] for meal service at shelters starting Wednesday, May, 9 [meal service is already covered until this date]. To donate large volume meals, local restaurants and certified kitchens may contact The Salvation Army at (808) 756-0306. Please note, smaller, home-prepared foods and meals, cannot be accepted for meal service at shelters due to health safety food preparation standards.

The public is encouraged to support the emergency disaster services efforts via monetary donations at www.hawaii.salvationarmy.org or by calling The Salvation Army - Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Divisional Headquarters at 808-988-2136. One-hundred percent of the donated funds will support The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster services in Hawaii.

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About The Salvation Army Disaster Services

The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to serve those impacted by disasters, however long it takes, because they are there before, during, and after impact. Beyond serving immediate physical needs, they also meet the emotional and spiritual needs that are unique to catastrophic events. The Salvation Army:

• Delivers disaster relief to an average of 382,000 people annually.

• Serves every ZIP code in the United States and touches almost 25 million lives a year.

• Has served survivors of every major national disaster since 1900.

• Remains in communities until needs are met and beyond.

About The Salvation Army – Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division

The Salvation Army – Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division covers the state of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands including Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands and The Federated States of Micronesia. The Division offers a wide variety of programs throughout the islands including: adult day health services; affordable senior housing; at-risk youth services and housing; camp & conference center; family stores; food distribution and feeding programs; homeless services; The Kroc Center – Hawaii’s largest community center; preschools & day care services; social services – emergency assistance; substance abuse treatment; and work therapy & rehabilitation services. For more information, call 808-988-2136, visit www.hawaii.salvationarmy.org, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.