• Laura Stafford

Georgia Salvation Army Ready to Serve Tornado Survivors and First Responders Through the Weekend

ATLANTA, GA (February 1, 2013) – Already serving 473 meals, 483 drinks, 234 snacks and providing emotional and spiritual care to 22, The Salvation Army is ready to serve tornado and storm survivors and first responders in Calhoun and Adairsville throughout the weekend.

Most of the men, women and children who come to The Salvation Army have lost everything.  Josh and Ashley are no exception. Having three children, Sammy-6, Alana-9, Joshua-10, they are working hard to put the pieces back together to keep their family stable. They were living at a hotel after their house was recently evicted, and not only was the hotel damaged from the tornado, but their car was picked up by the tornadoes winds.

Josh, Ashley and their family are staying at The Red Cross Shelter. The Salvation Army is helping them search out resources, providing meals, snacks drinks and emotional and spiritual care. “I just need three weeks to stay somewhere to get back on our feet,” says Ashley. “I am so grateful for The Salvation Army and thank God they are here to keep food in our stomachs and to pray with us and support us.”

“It is devastating to see families such as Josh and Ashley’s, especially with young children,” says Lt. Michelle Wilson, Corps Officer of The Salvation Army of Cartersville. “The Salvation Army is helping put the pieces back together, starting with a simple meal and offering support. It is an inspiration to see survivors like Ashley who, in the midst of their own troubles, are reaching out trying to help anyone around them; this makes me want to do the most good with everything The Salvation Army has and more.”

“As The Salvation Army is assessing the damage in Bartow and Gordon County, our first and foremost response is to make sure that the storm survivors and first responders’ basic needs are met,” says Major Jim Smith, Emergency Disaster Services Coordinator for The Salvation Army of Georgia. “We are working tirelessly to make sure they are fed, given something to drink and prayed for.”

The Salvation Army has mobile feeding units (canteen) at the following locations, which is providing breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks and emotional and spiritual care:

• Calhoun, Gordon County: Gordon County EOC- 400 Bellwood Rd.

• Adairsville, Bartow County: Red Cross Shelter-163 Manning Mill Rd.

After Sunday, The Salvation will be re-assessing to see the needs of a long-term recovery plan. There are also two more canteens on standby, prepared and ready to serve.

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by this disaster to visit www.salvationarmygeorgia.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. At this point, in-kind donations, such as used clothing and used furniture, are not being accepted for tornado/storm 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.

For more information on The Salvation Army’s preparation and response the tornadoes and storms, please visit www.salvationarmygeorgia.org, https://www.facebook.com/thesalvationarmygeorgia or https://twitter.com/tsageorgia. 

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.salvationarmygeorgia.org.