• Valerie Johnson

Salvation Army Georgia Division Prepares for Hurricane Irene

Norcross, GA (August 26, 2011) – The Salvation Army Georgia Divisional Emergency Disaster Services (“EDS”) team has alerted all units in the state to be on standby as Hurricane Irene  approaches the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina.  The Salvation Army Georgia EDS teams, having recently served 13, 463 meals during the April 2011 Tornado Outbreak are ready and prepared to serve Hurricane Irene survivors and other first responders when called.  Currently, The Salvation Army Georgia Division has 24 canteens that include one field kitchen unit to be notified to stock and be ready to provide materials as well as emotional and spiritual assistance to survivors.  Mobile kitchen and canteen units are capable of serving 1,500 meals per day.

Once damage reports have been received and local needs have been determined, EDS teams will serve throughout the impacted region.  In the short-term aftermath of the storm, Salvation Army officers and staff will focus primarily on immediate needs providing food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care to impacted individuals and families.

While forecasts have cleared Georgia for major storm impact, reports point to North and South Carolina for receiving severe storm effects with the possibility of flooding and several tornado warnings.  The Salvation Army’s mobile feeding units (canteens), staff and volunteers are vigilant as they wait in standby mode in anticipation of support for our neighbors.

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. 

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Hurricane Irene to visit www.salvationarmyusa.orgor 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 and mailed to Disaster Gift Processing Center, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301.  Please designate “2011 Hurricane Season” on all checks. 

• 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.organd follow latest updates on Twitter @SalArmyEDS.  Interested parties may also visit www.salvationarmygeorgia.org,  Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesalvationarmygeorgia, and follow us on Twitter @tsageorgia.

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About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in1865, 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.