Arkansas – Cindy was overwhelmed by the destruction surrounding the school where she worked. After a tornado ripped through their town, the children she loved and taught were now homeless or living without power during the hottest week of the year. She and her fellow teachers couldn’t sit back and do nothing, so they quickly pooled their resources to help distribute water, food boxes, diapers, and other supplies to the surrounding community. “These were our babies! We had to do something,” Cindy expressed, her voice full of determination and compassion.
The teachers and administration of Westside Elementary worked tirelessly to ensure that their students were still cared for even though the last week of school had been canceled due to damage to their building. It was heartbreaking, but in the heartbreak, there was hope. Local churches rushed to put together food boxes and serve meals, but as days passed and power was still not restored, they started to look for other options to support the families in need.
Cindy, desperate to find more help, remembered that her niece worked for The Salvation Army. She called and explained the dire situation, leading to the deployment of a mobile feeding unit to the heavily affected area. The Salvation Army stepped in and began serving hot meals, providing much-needed relief to the struggling community.
Reflecting on the impact, Cindy said, “We were able to give them nonperishable foods, but they weren’t able to cook or prepare anything without power. The Salvation Army came in and gave people a chance to just grab a meal and rest. They didn’t have to worry about feeding their kids or figuring out how to cook a meal. And they knew that you would be back again and again until they had power.”
The dedication of the Westside teachers and the dependable support from The Salvation Army brought hope and a sense of normalcy to a community in turmoil.
