• Cindy Fuller

The Salvation Army Transitioning To Long-Term Disaster Recovery Services in Oklahoma Emergency Disaster Services Estimated to Continue for Two Years

Oklahoma City, OK (July 17, 2013) - The Salvation Army is transitioning its disaster relief operation to long-term recovery for families and individuals who have been impacted by the tornadoes, floods and other severe weather in Oklahoma throughout the month of May 2013. Recovery services, which will include everything from food and financial assistance to emotional care and rebuilding efforts, will continue for at least the next 24 months. The Salvation Army will utilize “2013 Oklahoma Storm” donations and work alongside other relief organizations to ensure that all needs are met.

“Transitioning to a long-term recovery effort is an important step, not just for The Salvation Army, but also for the individuals and families who lost so much during these devastating storms,” said Major Steve Morris, Divisional Commander of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Division of The Salvation Army. “The Salvation Army is committed to making sure that donations given for this disaster will be used to continue to provide assistance to storm survivors.”

Thanks to generous donations from the American public, The Salvation Army has raised approximately $12 million to date for relief efforts in Oklahoma.  All donations for the “2013 Oklahoma Storm” will be used to provide immediate and long-term assistance to survivors of the storms that affected the state.

The Salvation Army has committed $4 million to response operations since the first tornadoes struck the state on May 18.  Salvation Army disaster personnel activated 31 mobile kitchens and opened a 100,000 sq. ft. distribution center, providing more than:
• 89,477 meals
• 129,181 drinks
• 170,379 snacks
• 14,728 individuals received emotional and spiritual care
• 51,988 comfort kits
• 10,249 Clean Up Kits
• 28,891 hours of employee and volunteer service
• 6,381 cases opened and services provided to 31,208 with assistance through distribution of cards, vouchers, and referrals

The Salvation Army also provided survivors with blankets, Bibles, brooms, rakes, shovels, wheel barrows, totes, food boxes, infant supplies and cases of water.

The Salvation Army also participated in Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARCs) in Carney, Little Axe, Shawnee, El Reno and Moore; all have now closed in preparation to the transition to long-term recovery.  Along with other partner agencies, The Salvation Army plans to participate in the Multi-Agency Long-Term Recovery Center.  In anticipation of opening soon, a call center, led by the American Red Cross, has been set up to begin recording qualifying cases.  Call center staff will do intake along with casework teams who are available to respond and/or collect information for follow up on an as needed basis.  The number to the call center is 866-477-7276.
Working in cooperation with partner agencies, The Salvation Army is developing plans to allocate approximately $8 million toward long-term disaster recovery assistance. 

Recovery Phase
• The Salvation Army will participate in the Oklahoma Disaster Recovery Project to conduct disaster case management for individuals and families in need of long term recovery. 
• The Salvation Army has also allocated funds to meet survivors unmet recovery needs that have not been covered by federal disaster assistance or private insurance. 
• The Salvation Army is also committed to helping Oklahomans to be better prepared and protected from future disasters. The Salvation Army has allocated funds for Youth and Senior Outreach programs and Mitigation efforts to help families better protect themselves from future storms.

“In Oklahoma, The Salvation Army has seen a new level of need. As we transition to long-term recovery efforts, we are incorporating experiences we have learned from past disaster response operations, but looking forward, we may encounter a need that is new and unplanned,” said Major Morris.

To learn more about The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services program, please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.

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.