• David Sayre

The Salvation Army Guam Corps distributing food, thrift store vouchers and financial assistance to Guam’s villages

Barrigada, Guam [June 2, 2023] –As part of their Emergency Disaster Services response to Typhoon Mawar, The Salvation Army Guam Corps is providing three meals a day for incarcerated youth and staff at The Department of Youth Affairs [DYA] youth correctional facility in Mangilao. The DYA’s food supplies were compromised by an extended power outage due to Typhoon Mawar and the facility is without running water. In addition, The Salvation Army is conducting outreach of food, thrift store vouchers and financial assistance to those in Guam’s villages.

“As of today, we are providing approximately 300 hot meals and 100 food bags per day via outreach to Guam’s villages and expect our daily outreach to increase 500 hot meals on the weekend,” said Victor Leonardi, Divisional Director of Emergency Services & Safety for The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division.  “We are providing vouchers for The Salvation Army Guam Corps Thrift store for clothing and household items. Part of our outreach plan includes purchasing meals to support local restaurants and businesses that also have been affected by the typhoon. We also are blessed that many of the businesses are either donating or providing some items at reduced costs.”

Leonardi was deployed to Guam last weekend on one of the initial FEMA flights and is overseeing The Salvation Army’s emergency response logistics and operations for over 50 employees and volunteers who reside in Guam and collaborations with additional NGO partners in Guam.”

The Salvation Army Guam Corps team is responding with community assistance as specific needs are determined by various agencies in the next several days. The Salvation Army Guam Corps pre-staged MREs and other food and basic needs supplies for potential response efforts. The Salvation Army is part of a team of agencies providing assistance during events and works closely with Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense, among other agencies.

Leonardi continued, “During emergencies, the best way the public can help is to provide monetary donations which allows the delivery of the exact relief supplies a community needs. Plus, The Salvation Army uses 100% of all donations designated ‘disaster relief’ in support of disaster operations.” 

Donations may be made online at Guam.SalvationArmy.org.