• Jennifer Dodd

Disaster Services Team Providing Food, Drinks To Corpus Christi Residents

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX - After more than 7 inches of rain fell over the course of two days, areas of Corpus Christi experienced severe flooding on September 20, 2010. Displaced residents were sheltered in the Ben Garza Gym at 1815 Howard Street overnight.

Trained Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) personnel and a stocked mobile feeding unit (canteen) were immediately dispatched to the temporary shelter. The canteen allows Salvation Army staff to provide hot food and drinks to the flood victims as well as shelter and emergency personnel on-site. At any EDS response site, trained Salvation Army personnel are always available to provide emotional and spiritual counseling to crisis victims and emergency workers. 

“We were told last night to expect 70 to 100 individuals in the temporary shelter,” says Major Daniel New, administrator of The Salvation Army in Corpus Christi. “And we were able to provide a hot dinner including chopped brisket sandwiches, and drinks—coffee, cocoa, and water— to those individuals.”

In addition to the meals and drinks served at the shelter yesterday, the canteen patrolled the city streets in low-lying and flood-prone areas, distributing another 100 drinks and 50 hot meals. “We were also able to provide a number of blankets and jackets to people in need,” Major reports. “We’re also seeing increased numbers in our own, permanent shelter.”

 As rain continues to fall on Tuesday, September 21, the expectation is that more residents may be displaced and require temporary shelter. Salvation Army EDS personnel and the canteen will return to the Ben Garza Gym today to provide a hot lunch (beef stew over rice) and drinks to the evacuees before beginning another 3-hour patrol of the city, serving anyone in need.

“With rain continuing today, and perhaps for the rest of the week,” says Major New, “we are preparing for increased numbers today. We are prepared to serve lunch to 150 at the temporary shelter today and perhaps another 100 meals while on patrol.”

The Salvation Army can also provide the flood evacuees with clean-up kits to be used once they are allowed to re-enter their residences. Clean-up kits provide brooms, mops, buckets, and cleaning supplies to displaced residents. 

With permanent operations located in Corpus Christi, The Salvation Army will continue to provide follow-up assistance to evacuees as necessary after they are able to return to their homes.

“The Salvation Army has been called to serve several times in the last week,” Major New says. “And we remain ready, in the face of any local crisis and its aftermath, to provide not only for our neighbors’ physical needs for food and hydration, but also their spiritual and emotional needs for counseling and comfort.”

Salvation Army EDS personnel and the canteen will remain on standby and prepared to serve while the forecast continues to predict rain.