• Shelley Henderson

West Virginia Flood - Volunteers Are the Hearts & Hands of The Salvation Army

Charleston, W.V. (July 5, 2016) - Today an army of nine Salvation Army mobile feeding kitchens (canteens) are rolling through West Virginia. Our ground troops are the ­many trained emergency disaster volunteers who are manning the canteen. Their cargo is desperately needed food and water for people impacted by the flooding that devastated West Virginia on June 23.  

Salvation Army volunteers are the hearts and hands of The Salvation Army. They are all ages and come from all walks of life. They come when called to serve disaster survivors in their time of greatest need ready to serve a meal or cold water for people who are most impacted by disaster. They visit places where, if not for The Salvation Army and its many partners, people would not have food to eat. Through their smiles, hearts and hugs, they provide hope and comfort where it is most desperately needed.

Volunteers from West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee are serving in the West Virginia. Here are eyewitness reports from The Salvation Army volunteers: 

• “In one community, the road was destroyed and The Salvation Army mobile feeding kitchens could not drive up the mountain to take supplies. Neighbors with their ATVs came to the local church to pick up supplies and meals from The Salvation Army and deliver to their neighbors.”
   
• “People are giving all to help their neighbors in need. In one community, a mom and daughter brought a paper bag of hand crocheted hearts to The Salvation Army to give out to the people we are serve. They said it was all they could do but they wanted to do something.”
   
• “We were in one church where the water came up past the windows during the flood. The only thing left by the flood was an outside alter built of stone.”
   
• “There was a family that lost their home and were living in a tent in a field. We went to see if we could help in any way – it was heartbreaking. The mom was drying out family photos on a piece of plywood."

Disaster strikes rural towns and big cities, the young, the old, the rich, the poor, and in between. We are thankful for our volunteers who are ready to serve those in the most need.

If you are interested in volunteering with The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services, please visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.