Salvation Army Responds to Record Flooding in Pasco County, Fla.

Lutz, Fla. (August 3, 2015) - The Salvation Army of Florida is responding to local record flooding in Pasco County and the surrounding areas. The Salvation Army is deploying a shower unit to an evacuation shelter at First Presbyterian Church at 7540 Ridge Road in Port Richey to help flood evacuees.   The shelter is one of several American Red Cross shelters opening to house people under mandatory evacuation orders across Pasco County.

In Hillsborough county, The Salvation Army is coordinating with local officials at the emergency operations center. The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Lodge in downtown Tampa will remain open all day for homeless that are affected by the widespread flooding.

The Salvation Army is continuing to monitor throughout the Tampa Bay area to assess need and coordinate with emergency management as the need grows. 

“We are finding ways to help the best we can, but our immediate goal is to help spread the word not to risk injury attempting to navigate these flood waters,” said Gary Sapper, a volunteer with The Salvation Army’s Pasco county team.  “We are hearing that people are trying to drive through these waters and then they become part of the problem.  These are things that can be prevented.”

The best way to help survivors and relief workers is to make a financial contribution. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors as the need continues to be assessed. 

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by the flooding in the Tampa Bay Area to visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org  or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. 

 A $10 donation feeds a disaster survivor for one day
 A $30 donation provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies
 A $100 donation can serve snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a disaster
 A $250 donation can provide one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24 hours
 A $500 donation keeps a Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day

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).

For the latest emergency disaster services news, please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org and follow the EDS team on Twitter @SalArmyEDS. 

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About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 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 The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.