• Melanie Scofield

The Salvation Army Responds to Tornadoes in Northern Illinois

“Right now our focus is on responding as quickly as possible, assessing the need and providing comfort”

Rockford, IL - Late Thursday afternoon a severe weather system produced at least one tornado in Northern Illinois touching down in multiple communities just outside of Rockford, including Kirkland, Rochelle and Fairdale.  Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Service (EDS) teams from Rockford and Carpentersville were deployed as soon as it was safe to proceed into the damaged areas.
Currently, The Salvation Army has two canteens on the way to the affected areas, manned with food, snacks, and hydration to provide material support to first responders, emergency crews, victims and others affected by the tornado. 

“Right now we’re going to the affected areas wherever there might be damage and coordinating with police, fire and rescue agencies to assess what’s needed and be prepared to provide immediate assistance to the victims of these storms,” says Major David Dalberg, Emergency Disaster Services Director of The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division. “Our services will be adapting as needed over the next 24 hours based on the needs of local residents. We are prepared to provide spiritual and emotional support to those who have suffered material losses.”

How to Help
The quickest and easiest way to support the efforts of The Salvation Army as they serve disaster victims in the Midwest Region during this event and future disasters is to make a monetary donation.

Online:
Give online at http://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/metropolitan/tornado

By Phone:
Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY [1-800-725-2769]

By Mail:
To donate via mail, please send your check, designated "METRO Tornadoes" to:
ATTN: METRO TORNADOES
THE SALVATION ARMY
10 W ALGONQUIN ROAD
DES PLAINES, IL 60016-6000

Text to give:
Text SACHICAGO to 80888 and reply YES to confirm your $10 donation*

Donations of Household Good and Clothing:
Due to the emergency situation, The Salvation Army cannot guarantee that any individual donations of household goods or clothing (gifts-in-kind) will be sent to the disaster area. In times of disaster, our stores fill these needs from existing, pre-sorted stock. PLEASE continue to donate gently-used household goods to your local Salvation Army store. You will help your community and help us prepare for future disaster relief needs. To find your nearest drop-off location, please go to www.satruck.org.

*Terms and conditions:
A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Message and 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 T-Mobile. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. By participating you certify that you are 18 yrs or older and/or have parental permission. Donations are collected for the benefit of The Salvation Army by Innogive 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 specify 80888 for help.

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.

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