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APR
The Salvation Army Serves Broken Lives Behind Toppled Trees
Charlotte, NC - Following a volatile Saturday that saw more than 100 deadly tornados and severe storms, The Salvation Army is busy assessing local needs and serving some of the most impacted areas of North Carolina. Initial reports indicate 22 fatalities across the state and some people are unaccounted for in some communities and rural areas. Governor Bev Perdue declared a State of Emergency (SOE) for North Carolina as of April 16th. More than a dozen counties have declared local States of Emergency.
From Charleston, South Carolina to Washington, North Carolina, The Salvation Army has activated its network of disaster response operations and resources in order to serve impacted individuals and emergency personnel. The Salvation Army’s disaster response crew and mobile feeding unit from Kinston, North Carolina, have been on-scene at the shelter established at the NC National Guard shelter (operated by the Red Cross) in Snow Hill. From its Washington, NC command, Salvation Army personnel and its mobile unit have been on scene in Bertie County at the hard hit town of Colrain, where many homes have been destroyed. The team is offering emotional & spiritual care to family members who lost loved ones as they visit the sites of their lost homes.
“The widespread impact of these storms, the loss of life, is heartbreaking. It’s times like these that the Salvation Army’s pastoral care is most sought and rivals that of our material care. Whether it be a cup of coffee or prayerful hand of Salvation Army personnel, we are there to serve”, said Captain Chris Lyles, Corps Officer for Washington, NC.
In Onslow County, The Salvation Army of Jacksonville is serving meals in the Piney Green Road and Old 30 area, with the additional assistance of a mobile kitchen unit canteen and crew from nearby New Bern. The Salvation Army of Fayetteville has deployed its mobile kitchen unit canteen and crew to survey remote areas of Cumberland and Robeson Counties.
From its location in Raleigh, The Salvation Army of Wake County is deploying its canteen and personnel to areas of need identified in coordination with Wake County Emergency Management officials.
Salvation Army Family Stores in Raleigh (Wake County), Sanford (Lee County), Smithfield (Johnston and Harnett Counties) and Wilson (Wilson County) are being made available to those left homeless by the storms in these counties, in coordination of referrals from other responding organizations and agencies.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by the April 16 Tornados and Severe Weather to visit http://www.salvationarmycarolinas.org/ or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Monetary donations will be used to meet immediate needs of those impacted. The Salvation Army encourages you to continue to support your local Salvation Army Family Store and the much needed local programs your in-kind gifts support.
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.
