• Philip Burn

Salvation Army EDS Services Transition to Long-Term Recovery in Texas

Dallas, Texas (September 29, 2017) – The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) immediately responded to Hurricane Harvey along the Texas coastline providing food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care to survivors and first responders. A month into the extensive relief efforts, The Salvation Army is now beginning to transition from emergency response to long-term recovery including Points of Distribution (PODS) and case work.

As power has gradually been restored in affected communities and people have returned to their homes to assess damage and salvage what they can of their belongings, The Salvation Army has been there to provide practical and emotional support. Mobile feeding units are delivering hot meals and snacks to survivors, while also providing clean up kits, hygiene kits and food boxes to residents beginning the lengthy process of recovery.

“The Salvation Army response to Hurricane Harvey is the largest disaster effort we have seen in years,” said Laurie Fried, Long Term Recovery Program Manager for The Salvation Army in Texas. “The long-term recovery of storm survivors is now the focus of The Salvation Army. Through case work with individuals and families we will help identify their needs, develop their long-term recovery plans, connect them with available community resources, and help meet their long-term recovery goals, one step at a time.”

To facilitate the enormous undertaking of consultation with survivors, The Salvation Army will be hiring an additional 20 case workers in the coming months. Staff will be strategically placed at Salvation Army units in Houston, Galveston/Texas City, the Golden Triangle (Beaumont, Orange, Port Arthur), Freeport, Victoria, and Corpus Christi. The Salvation Army will continue to work closely with partner agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations as they support recovery efforts, and provide referrals to survivors where appropriate. 

“Residents of communities affected by Hurricane Harvey are facing months and years of recovery ahead,” said Fried. “We have been blessed by the support received from donors and corporations and The Salvation Army is committed to be here to help the recovery process as long as we are needed.”

As of September 28, The Salvation Army has served 839,213 meals, 849,692 snacks, and 890,673 drinks statewide in response to Hurricane Harvey. Emotional Spiritual Care Officers have ministered to 50,082 first responders and survivors.

You can support the ongoing relief work of The Salvation Army by making a financial donation at 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.