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The Salvation Army Prepares for Hurricane Matthew in Haiti and Jamaica

This story, describing how The Salvation Army is preparing for Hurricane Matthew in Haiti and Jamaica, is reprinted from The Salvation Army's National Blog.  The original story may be found here.

Alexandria, VA - The Salvation Army is mobilizing resources and personnel to assist with the international relief effort in Haiti and Jamaica, in preparation for Hurricane Matthew, a Category 4 storm that is expected to hit the coast of Haiti later this evening.

The Salvation Army has had a presence in Haiti since 1950 and currently operates schools, clinics, a hospital, feeding programs, children's homes and church-related activities spread across two major facilities in Port au Prince, and at other locations in the country. Jamaica was the first Caribbean nation The Salvation Army entered, bringing ministry, social services and relief efforts to Kingston in 1887. Over the past almost 130 years, those services have grown to include corps worship centers,  feeding centers, children’s homes, a vocational training home for women, a men’s hostel, a senior citizens’ home, a residential school for the blind and visually impaired, kindergarten schools, daycare nursery centers, community centers, a medical clinic and an addiction rehabilitation center for men. Currently, The Salvation Army in Kingston is serving about 200 people at its shelters.

Hurricane Matthew is expected to hit western Haiti Monday night before moving on to eastern Cuba on Tuesday. It is slow-moving, with sustained winds near 130mph. Jamaica is expected to get up to 25 inches of rainfall, while parts of Haiti may get up to 40 inches.

Potentially catastrophic flash flooding and storm surges are expected, which will likely exacerbate the risk of typhoid, cholera and malaria.

Hurricane warnings are in effect across the region, and Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) has placed its regional mechanisms on alert.

The Salvation Army needs your help to support these Caribbean nations in the moments of and following this massive storm. Please donate to Caribbean relief efforts here, or by going to salar.my/Matthew.