Dallas, Texas (September 29, 2024) – The city of Live Oak, Florida, located midway between Tallahassee and Jacksonville, experienced catastrophic damage and widespread power outages after Hurricane Helene tore through the area. A Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) response team led by staff from Texas, have set up base camp in Live Oak and are actively serving communities impacted by the storm.
“Once it became safe and possible to reach Live Oak after the storm, we quickly set up our base camp that includes bunk houses, a shower and bathroom trailer, generators, RVs and other essential equipment,” said Alvin Migues, EDS Director for The Salvation Army in Texas, and Incident Commander for the Live Oak operations. “We are coordinating a mass feeding operation with the support of our dedicated partners, the Southern Baptist Texas Conference.”
Eight Salvation Army mobile kitchens have been operational and out serving meals and drinks throughout the area. Texas units and teams from New Braunfels, Tyler, Hood County, Wichita Falls and Houston are working alongside three units from Florida. Four additional mobile feeding units are expected to arrive on Monday as feeding numbers and coverage area increases.
“We are working to cover a large service area that includes six counties, and we anticipate seeing an increase in the need for meals. The Baptist kitchen has the capacity to produce 7,500 through Wednesday rising to 10,000 meals a day beginning on Thursday,” said Migues. “Lunch is prepared early in the morning and packed in sealed containers that keep them warm. Dinner service is prepared and served starting around 3 PM. The Salvation Army mobile kitchen crews then load up the food and transports it out to designated feeding locations, sometimes more than an hour drive away. Our teams are trained and experienced in disaster response, and I am always impressed how quickly and smoothly operations are established and up and running.” For a list of current service locations go to https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/HeleneServiceLocations.
In addition to providing food and drinks, emotional and spiritual care (ESC) is an integral part of Salvation Army disaster response. “Our staff and volunteers are ready to listen to and pray with residents who are dealing with so much, particularly in the days immediately following a storm,” said Migues. “These folks don’t know where their next meal is coming from, never mind when their power will return or how they are going to salvage their belongings, and repair homes and cars. It’s a very stressful and emotional time and we want everyone to know that God loves them and reassure them that The Salvation Army will be here to help and serve for as long as we are needed.”
As of 9/29/24 The Salvation Army serving in Live Oak has served 3,286 meals, given out 3351 meal boxes (breakfast/lunch), 1491 drinks, 790 snacks and have made 752 ESC contacts.
A second response team, from The Salvation Army in Florida, is operating in Perry, FL, and has deployed 10 mobile feeding units. Additional Salvation Army response efforts are underway in Georgia and North Carolina in response to flooding and damage after Hurricane Helene.
For more information on The Salvation Army’s current disaster response efforts and specific feeding locations, go to www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.
