• Philip Burn

Salvation Army Expands Service as Teams Deploy to Accessible Areas of Texas

Dallas, Texas (August 29, 2017) – The Salvation Army continues to provide practical assistance and emotional and spiritual care in cities throughout South Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey. Monday saw a number of areas become accessible for the first time as local law enforcement and city management continue the clean-up process.

As rain continues to fall and flood waters rise in Houston, The Salvation Army is providing emergency assistance throughout the city. Four Salvation Army shelters have opened their doors to those evacuating their homes – Harbor Light Center, Sally’s House, Family Residence and Conroe Red Shield lodge. More than 70 people rescued are currently staying at the Pasadena Salvation Army. As additional areas of the city become accessible Salvation Army units are ready to move in and serve those in need. Other locations remain on standby to serve.

Captain Jay Ward, Commanding Officer of the Houston Northwest Corps, along with his son helped evacuate 32 people by boat in his community. “It’s devastating out here. I’ve been working disaster all my life but this is the worst I’ve seen,” said Captain Ward. “People are coming out in their boats and helping to save people.”

In the Southwest Texas region, an Incident Command Team from Oklahoma and Arkansas began service on Monday based in Corpus Christi. Seven mobile kitchens from that team, in addition to units from Laredo, McAllen, Corpus Christi, Dallas Fort Worth and Austin continue to serve in the region.

Displaced residents from the barrier island of Port Aransas were allowed by law enforcement to return to inspect their homes on Monday afternoon. The Salvation Army McAllen, TX mobile kitchen served meals, snacks and hydration to residents and first responders while a team from Muskogee, OK drove through the devastated streets serving sandwiches and drinks to people working to salvage what they could from their damaged homes. Several people requested prayer from team members.

The cities of Rockport and Aransas Pass found themselves directly in the path of Hurricane Harvey and sustained significant damage. A Salvation Army team from Oklahoma will establish service in Rockport at lunch time today while a second unit will continue to provide support in Aransas Pass.

Houston area:

• Shelters open at multiple Salvation Army locations, others on standby to provide emergency shelter
• Mobile kitchens serving at NorthWest Corps, Pasadena and Conroe in addition to Texas City and Galveston.
• Additional mobile kitchens staged and ready to deploy as areas become accessible
• Incident Command Team from Florida arriving on Tuesday

Southwest Texas/Corpus Christi area:

• Six mobile feeding units serving in Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Ingleside, Portland, Tuloso-Midway High School Shelter, FEMA Dome – Del Mar College
• Incident Command Team and seven additional feeding units from Oklahoma and Arkansas began service on Monday
• Roving mobile kitchen service into damaged communities taking place

Other Salvation Army operations:

• City of Dallas opening shelter at Convention Center on Tuesday. Salvation Army will be responsible to feeding operations
• San Antonio Mission Corps staging location for Division
• The Salvation Army laundry unit has been delivered the AT & T Center in San Antonio in support of the first responders.
• Disaster Assistance Center currently supporting Evacuees in Waco with relief supplies
• Kerrville team serving meals at two local evacuation shelters
• Temple – emergency shelter open supported by mobile feeding unit
• Two mobile kitchens from Austin serving at a shelter in Seadrift, Texas
• Lubbock mobile kitchen served 10 buses of evacuees in Belton

As of Monday evening, August 28, 6,288 meals, 7,162 snacks, and 5,664 drinks have been provided.

To make a financial donation to support the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts please go to www.helpsalvationarmy.org, call 1-800- SAL-ARMY, text STORM to 51555.

For the latest information please go to www.disaster.salvationarmy.org and watch for regular updates on our social media pages at www.facebook.com/salvationarmytexas/ and www.twitter.com/salarmytx. To access photo and video resources related to The Salvation Army Hurricane Harvey relief efforts please go to www.salvationarmysouth.org/harvey.