Salvation Army Tornado Relief Efforts In Springfield, Massachusetts

Springfield, MA - June 21, 2011 - The Salvation Army continues to be involved in the heart of the response effort to those devastated by the June 1st tornadoes that impacted many parts of western Massachusetts.

The Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services program provided immediate care for the survivors and first responders by serving 14,586 meals to those in desperate need of basic support over a period of two weeks. This included a hot breakfast and dinner, with a packaged lunch being served during the day. Five disaster canteens were also loaded with additional resources, including water, snacks, work gloves, stuffed animals/toys, hygiene products and clean up kits.  A total of 39,711 different items were distributed from the canteens.

Check-out Salvation Army disaster service in action in this video:

Additional items (not counted in this number) including 33 cases of diapers, 18 cases of baby formula, and boxes of canned goods were also delivered as disaster workers travelled street to street through the affected communities, visiting a total of 52 locations.  

Another key service The Salvation Army provides is emotional and spiritual care.  Trained caregivers prayed with more than 475 individuals, helping those affected by the disaster begin to process the deep psychological impact of the event.  Some 620 English and Spanish bibles were also distributed to those seeking spiritual comfort through the crisis.   

The Salvation Army also worked closely with the Mayor's office and the American Red Cross to provide any additional necessities for the families and those sleeping in the shelter in Springfield. The Salvation Army brought 4 different deliveries of brand new and donated clothes to those who had lost everything from the tornado. Men's, women's, and children's clothes, socks, underwear, toys, games, shoes, diapers, hygiene products and bibles were made available to every single person who needed them. 2900 different items in total were given to affected survivors here. We have also been working with the Mayors' office and the Housing Authority to provide new mattresses to a number of those starting their lives again as they leave the shelter to new residences.

Our social services program at 170 Pearl continues to serve members of the community in Springfield and beyond.  2,997 people, including 1,180 families, have received support from the Corps with clothing vouchers, groceries, hygiene products and any other resources we have available for them. It is also powerful to observe that for many people, prayer is a primary request they have as they are leaving with their donated goods.  The Salvation Army will continue to provide whatever resources we have available for as long as there is a need in the community.

The Salvation Army received the following letter from a resident of Springfield:    

"Thank you for all your organization has done to aid the tornado victims. One night after the storm we had been so busy with clean-up we never gave food or how to cook it a thought. Thank you for everything and keep up the good work. To celebrate an upcoming marriage we have asked that, instead of gifts for the wedding, that donations should be made to The Salvation Army." -- Sincerely Elaine and Stuart