• Arvid Huisman

The Salvation Army Responds to Iowa Storms

Des Moines, IA (April 16, 2012) - The Salvation Army is responding to storms that damaged communities in Southwest Iowa Saturday evening.

An Emergency Disaster Services mobile canteen and crew from Des Moines was in Creston Sunday and is back in Creston today (Monday), serving food and hydration to emergency and clean-up crews and victims of the tornado that struck that community last night. The tornado damaged Greater Regional Hospital, Southwestern Community College and nearby homes.

The Des Moines unit initially served a breakfast to staff at Greater Regional Hospital this morning. Shortly before noon, the canteen moved to a community emergency site at Trinity Lutheran Church in Creston.

Jim Civitate (SIV-uh-tot), emergency disaster services director for The Salvation Army in Des Moines, reported that nearly 250 persons in Creston were served meals and cold drinks on Sunday and that the canteen provided nearly 800 light snacks throughout the day.

In far southwest Iowa's Fremont County, Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services units from Lincoln and Omaha are serving victims and relief workers in the small town of Thurman, Iowa which was also struck by a tornado last night.

For up-to-date information, please contact John Kuzma, divisional director of emergency disaster services, 402-510-4403 or Arvid Huisman, Des Moines director of development and communications, 515-202-2286.

Giving:
The best way to help tornado survivors and rescue workers is to make a financial donation. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors. Contributions to assist The Salvation Army's relief work in Iowa can be mailed to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 933, Des Moines, IA 50304. To donate by credit card, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or go to www.salvationarmyusa.org. Please be sure to designate your gift “Iowa Tornadoes.”

Due to emergency conditions, The Salvation Army cannot guarantee that gifts of household goods or clothing donated now will be sent to disaster areas. In times of disaster, we fulfill household needs from existing, pre-sorted stock. Please, continue to donate gently-used household goods to your local Salvation Army—you help your community today and may help with disaster relief needs tomorrow. To find your nearest drop-off location, please go to www.satruck.org.

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.