• Erica Lawton

Corporate Donors Support The Salvation Army Following Hurricane Sandy

FedEx Corp., Target, PNC Foundation and Albertsons Markets LLC Lead Effort to Provide Food, Shelter and Spiritual Care

Alexandria, Virginia (November 1, 2012) – Several of America’s leading retailers and corporations today pledged more than $1.4 million in cash and in-kind support to The Salvation Army following “Superstorm” Hurricane Sandy, which struck the East Coast earlier this week. The influx of large cash donations buoyed The Salvation Army, which has also received more than $1.2 million in text and online donations from individual and private donors since fundraising began. The donations are being used across the northeast and throughout the Mid-Atlantic states to help The Salvation Army provide critical services in areas hit by flooding, power outages and heavy snowfall.

“Our response to this storm is critically dependent upon the generosity of the American public and the corporate and private donors who choose to support us. We thank them for their generosity and pray that we will be able to meet all the widespread needs,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army.

To aid The Salvation Army in its relief efforts, corporate partners including FedEx Corp., Target, PNC Foundation and Albertsons Markets LLC have made contributions in support of Salvation Army relief efforts:
• FedEx Corp. has committed $1.2 million in cash and in-kind transportation to support relief efforts across the northeast corridor. Existing relationships with humanitarian organizations will allow FedEx to lend transportation and logistics expertise to support several agencies, including The Salvation Army, in vital relief work.
• Target Corp. also committed a $50,000 cash donation to The Salvation Army to benefit the survivors of Hurricane Sandy. Overall, Target donated $500,000 in monetary support and products to assist with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The donation will include $425,000 in cash and in-kind donations to the American Red Cross, $50,000 in cash donation to The Salvation Army and $25,000 in gift cards to local Target stores to help with community needs.
• The PNC Foundation will donate $150,000 to The Salvation Army and $150,000 to the American Red Cross for relief efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. The foundation will also match PNC employee contributions to The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, and AmeriCorps up to a total of $150,000.
• Albertsons Markets LLC, from now through November 15, will run an in-store fundraiser to support The Salvation Army's Hurricane Sandy disaster response and recovery efforts. Albertsons Markets LLC has stores in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas.

With this generosity, The Salvation Army can remain a constant pillar of support in communities where Hurricane Sandy’s impact halted daily routines.

In New York City, distribution efforts will continue until power and water service is restored. The Salvation Army, as the lead agency for the City’s Food Access Plan, is working with a broad coalition of partners from across the city under the oversight of the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), in coordinating the distribution of badly needed water and food supplies to 14 sites in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. The effort brought together resources from several members of the Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), including the American Red Cross, as well as the City Council, the NYPD, the National Guard and dozens of volunteers from across New York City.

With the assistance of 400 National Guard troops, service sites were established in public parks and playgrounds in the hardest hit areas. During the course of the day, more than 600,000 bottles of water and nearly 300,000 packaged meals were distributed to approximately 100,000 local residents.  In addition, meals were delivered to the apartments and homes of shut-in residents in these areas. Distribution Centers will be open on Friday, November 2nd, from 7:30am-12:30pm, and from 9am-1pm on both Saturday and Sunday (November 3rd and 4th).

The Salvation Army in New Jersey is providing life-sustaining services to hundreds of first responders and survivors in 15 shelters throughout 10 counties. This includes meals, snacks and hydration, as well as emotional and spiritual care. Specifically in New Jersey:

• The Salvation Army is providing support to first responders in Freehold.
• The Salvation Army’s Emergency Men’s Shelter in Perth Amboy will be adding additional beds to support the increased need for shelter.
• In Atlantic County, The Salvation Army has provided 3 meals a day as well as clothing at a special medical needs emergency shelter.
• The Salvation Army is now providing feeding at a shelter in Hunterdon County.
• The Salvation Army provided more than 240 people with meals, diapers, wipes, emotional and spiritual care at a shelter set up in Teterboro.
• Feeding is taking place at The Salvation Army in East Orange.
• The Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania has deployed a canteen to New Jersey to help support in Emergency Disaster Relief.

“We understand that this will be a long-term response and recovery effort, and we will be there every step of the way for those in need, but we would not be able to do what we do if it were not for the generosity of the American public and our partners,” said Major Hood.

In some areas, specifically Maryland and West Virginia, The Salvation Army is winding down services. Services were continued to support evacuees in portions of Western Maryland and West Virginia where more than two feet of snow have left thousands without power. The Salvation Army Area Command in Charleston, WV, is keeping their doors open to shelter residents while power is being restored in their neighborhoods. In Cumberland, MD, The Salvation Army worked with the National Guard to help 100 senior citizens evacuate from a local senior home, providing 125 meals for the trip to a nearby shelter.

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by this disaster to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or 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.”* At this point, in-kind donations, such as used clothing and used furniture, are not being accepted for hurricane relief. However, these items are vital to 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). Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Services Center, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301. Please designate “2012 Hurricane Season” on all checks.

For more information on The Salvation Army’s response to Hurricane Sandy, please visit http://blog.salvationarmyusa.org/, www.facebook.com/salvationarmyusa or www.twitter.com/salvationarmyus. 

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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, 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.

*A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Message & Data Rates May Apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and TMobile. By participating you certify that you agree to the terms and conditions, that you are 18 yrs. or older, or have parental permission, and have authorization from the account holder. Donations are collected for the benefit of The Salvation Army by the Innovative Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at igfn.org/t. Privacy policy: igfn.org/p. Text STOP to 80888 to stop; Text HELP to 80888 for help.

Photo: Alex Brandon/AP Photo