UPDATE - The Salvation Army Continues Serving Sandy Survivors

Atlanta, GA (February 5, 2012) - During the initial response, The Salvation Army rushed essential services to people affected by Hurricane Sandy. Today, The Salvation Army continues to serve those affected by this tragedy.

• In coordination with volunteer and other partner organizations, The Salvation Army has provided more than 4.6 million meals, snacks, and drinks to thousands of people who sustained tragic loss, as well as for first responders and work crews.

• Overall, The Salvation Army has provided food and water, as well as other items including:

-Blankets
-Baby formula
-Diapers and baby wipes
-Batteries and flashlights
-Toothbrushes and toothpaste
-Gloves and hand warmers
-Earmuffs
-Toiletries
-Shampoo and Conditioner

• 7,500 volunteers have provided more than 24,000 hours of service from serving meals to fulfilling the request for prayers and emotional care.

The Salvation Army is making long range plans for rebuilding and renewal after the storm devastated communities along the New Jersey shore line, New York City, and Long Island this fall.

In New Jersey

• In December, as communities began to stabilize, The Salvation Army entered a new phase of recovery, supporting survivors and families in the transition to returning home.

• A helpline (1-888-247-0100) was established to enable access of information and assistance to survivors finding themselves in need, some for the first time.

• Hot drinks and snacks, along with emotional/spiritual care, were provided along the Barrier Islands and throughout communities in Ocean County via ATV’s generously donated by Polaris.

• A special holiday assistance application was established for those finding it difficult to make holiday celebrations a reality due to Hurricane Sandy.

• Tuckahoe Nurseries made a very generous donation to The Salvation Army of 400 live Christmas trees for families in impacted areas.

• An Emergency Assistance Center is now open in Hazlet, NJ. Additional centers are planned to open soon providing:

-Client intake & assessment: volunteers will assess needs based on standardized guidelines for aid, check for FEMA number or proof of address that family lives in affected area

-Linkage to other agencies and referrals.
-Large-scale distribution of in-kind donated items ranging from clothing to household goods
-Cash card financial assistance
-Food boxes

• Moving toward the next stage of recovery, it is anticipated that there will be a period of addressing long-term and unmet needs. The Salvation Army will work via statewide and local community partners to ensure that safety nets are in place for those continuing to struggle.

In New York

• Through a partnership among The Salvation Army, NYC Restore (Mayor's office), National Guard, NYPD, and NYC Service, two million ready-to-eat meals (MREs) and 700,000 bottles of water were distributed over 12 days post-landfall in 17 locations throughout NYC.

• The Salvation Army provided over 40,000 low sodium, vegetarian, and Kosher meals for the evacuees housed in all eight special needs shelters scattered throughout New York City.

• The Salvation Army continues to provide clothing/furniture vouchers, financial assistance, travel cards, emotional & spiritual care, and information and referral services in the NYC Restoration Centers and the Long Island Disaster Assistance Centers.

• Within the impacted zones, Salvation Army facilities are used to assist families and individuals who may or may not qualify for federal assistance.  Services include: clothing/furniture vouchers, financial assistance, travel cards, emergency supplies, emotional & spiritual care, and information and referral services.  Salvation Army facilities located in the impacted communities include Bay Ridge (Brooklyn), Freeport, Hempstead, & Blue Point (Long Island), and Stapleton (Staten Island).

• The Salvation Army in Greater New York continues to accept, warehouse, and distribute emergency supplies for Hurricane Sandy survivors.  Emergency supplies, new clothing, personal hygiene products, clean-up supplies, and home furnishings are being distributed as needed.

• The Salvation Army is part of the Multi-Agency Shelter Transition Task Force led by FEMA. The program involves The Salvation Army and American Red Cross disaster case workers who are working in teams to interview the 2,200 families that remain in shelters and transitional housing (hotels) throughout New York City and Long Island. The teams will ascertain the requirements necessary to relocate these families into longer term housing.  In addition to FEMA and American Red Cross funding, The Salvation Army will 'fill in the gaps' to ensure that the affected families complete the next step in their recovery plan. The Salvation Army will provide financial assistance to assist with broker fees, security deposits, furniture, household items, and basic living expenses. The program is an interim step before federal case management is established, and it is expected to continue through February 28.

• As part of the long-term recovery, The Salvation Army of Greater New York is planning to partner with Habitat For Humanity International to assist impacted homeowners on Staten Island with their ability to rebuild, repair, and refurbish their homes.  In this plan The Salvation Army will facilitate the disaster case management process to identify and assist qualifying beneficiaries while Habitat For Humanity will facilitate the construction process.  Both agencies will collaborate to secure home furnishings and major appliances.  Similar projects are under consideration for Island Park and Mastic Beach on Long Island. The program will continue throughout 2013.        

Nationally:

• The Salvation Army maintains a fleet of disaster vehicles and supply warehouses across the United States to enable speedy mobilization.

• There are more than 300 emergency response vehicles in the eastern and southern United States alone and nearly 600 units nationwide.

• These units are able to serve thousands of meals and drinks per day when operating at full capacity.

• In addition to food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care, The Salvation Army is also prepared to provide:
-Clean-up kits containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning supplies
-Hygiene kits
-Shower units
-First-aid supplies
-Communications support

Monetary donations are the most critical need as supplies and personnel move into the areas of greatest need.

• The Salvation Army is extremely gratified for the continued support of the donating public.

• To date, the Army has received more than $20 million to support relief efforts.

• Donors are encouraged to give online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).

• Those interested in volunteering should register at www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org. Please note that disaster service training is a prerequisite for volunteering in a disaster zone and not all registered volunteers will be called on to serve.

• Due to the high expense and time demands associated with delivering your gently-used household goods and clothing (gifts-in-kind), The Salvation Army cannot guarantee that any individual gifts-in-kind donated now will be sent to the disaster area. In times of disaster, our stores fill these needs from existing, pre-sorted stock. By continuing to donate gently-used household goods to your local Salvation Army store, you not only help your community, you help us prepare for future disaster relief needs. To find your nearest drop-off location, please go to www.satruck.org.

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.

• Corporations, foundations and others interested in donating to The Salvation Army response effort should contact Janella Eccleston at Janella_Eccleston@use.salvationarmy.org or 845-620-7730.

Your donations make a real difference.
• 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.

The Salvation Army is one of the nation’s largest providers of disaster service and responds to hundreds of disasters across the country each year.

• Hurricane Katrina (August 2005): The Salvation Army provided more than 5.6 million meals to survivors and first responders of Hurricane Katrina, and 2.5 million people were assisted with emergency food, casework, emotional and spiritual care.

• Haitian Earthquake (January 2010): The Salvation Army packaged and delivered more than 10 million meals to Haiti, and more than 27,000 survivors were treated at Salvation Army medical facilities. Additionally, The Salvation Army distributed approximately 8,000 hygiene kits.

• U.S. Tornado Outbreak (April & May 2011): The Salvation Army served nearly one million meals and distributed 50,000 hygiene kits, and more than 10,000 people received emotional and spiritual care.
 

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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 a broad 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.