• Lindsay Crossland

It's More Than Meals To Mary

If you stopped by one of The Salvation Army’s mobile kitchens in Wilmington, North Carolina, you may find Mary King surrounded by a group of people enjoying her company and conversation.

“I saw you were feeding people, so I went over to see if I could get some food,” says Mary, who remembers when The Salvation Army served her meals after Hurricane Hazel back in 1954. “Nowadays, we have all this information about hurricanes before they hit land, but back then all we knew is that it was going to rain and the wind was going to blow.”

Before Hurricane Florence hit, Mary was unable to evacuate to stay with family members because their home is not wheelchair-accessible for her. To keep herself busy as the storm passed, she made greeting cards to describe how she was feeling and to thank those she knew were coming to help. “I just gave each of the two Salvation Army people serving lunch a card. I also made one for each volunteer that was serving in the food lines,” says Mary.

A hot meal isn’t the only reason Mary comes out to The Salvation Army mobile kitchen. “It’s wonderful that I get to talk with them every day. I don’t know what we would do without The Salvation Army, so I decided to tell them how I felt about them in a homemade card. We would have a serious problem if you weren’t here to help us.”

Ms. King went on to share how much she loves talking with Sarah, one of her favorite Salvation Army relief workers. Whether it’s with a hot meal or a listening ear, The Salvation Army is honored to be there for those who need help.

As of September 24, The Salvation Army has provided the following to those impacted by Hurricane Florence in the Wilmington/Cape Fear region:

• Meals: 98,849
• Drinks: 58,258
• Snacks: 40,118
• Emotional and Spiritual Care: 7,457
• Hygiene/Comfort Kits: 521

How to Help
The best way to help after a disaster is to make a financial donation. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors as the situation continues to be assessed.

Online: www.HelpSalvationArmy.org

Donate by phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY

Mail checks to: The Salvation Army, P.O. BOX 1959, Atlanta, GA 30301

Please designate '2018 Hurricane Season - Florence' on all checks.

To receive a donation link via text: Text STORM to 51555