• Lt. David Costellow

The Salvation Army Continues to Meet Unmet Needs Days after the Storm

Crockett, KY (March 6, 2012) –The same force that cut a path through eastern Kentucky—devastating much of downtown West Liberty and many homes—also blocked roads and took down power lines, phone lines, & cell phone towers.   The result was to effectively cut-off some communities from the rest of the world.   “Without a means of communication, we couldn’t hear their cries for help,” said Major Darrell Kingbury, the representative appointed to lead The Salvation Army’s work in Ashland, Kentucky and the Incident Commander for The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Service (EDS) response in Morgan County.

That changed today for the communities of Crocket and Moon in northeastern Morgan County.   Another disaster service non-profit contacted The Salvation Army when they were unable to meet the immediate needs of those small, remote communities.   But within an hour of notification, Salvation Army personnel had food and drinks in the hands of our neighbors who had reached the end of their hope.

“It’s only because of the equipment and personnel dedicated to this response that we were able to respond so quickly to a very real need.”—Ray Dalrymple, long-time Salvation Army employee and EDS veteran.   “I’m glad we were able to get to them, to help them, and to pray with them.”

The path of these storms is long and wide, and The Salvation Army leans on its strength, flexibility, and well-trained teams to adjust the response as new needs are uncovered –adding to an already full slate of work to be done.

The residents in Crockett and Moon--like those in West Liberty and New Orleans and even Haiti, know in times of the greatest need, The Salvation Army is there to meet the needs of the whole person—physical, emotional, and spiritual.     Sooner or later the cameras and attention will fade, but The Salvation Army will still be meeting the needs in 41413…and every other zip code in the United States.

For the latest news about Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services or to make a donation in the support of those impacted by this disaster, please visit:   www.disaster.SalvationArmyUSA.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).

You may also help by texting “Storm” 80888 to make a $10.00 contribution to the relief effort.   The donation will appear on your next phone bill.

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About the Salvation Army:  The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865.  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.  About 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 5,000 communities nationwide.  For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.