Greenville, NC (August 28, 2011)– The Salvation Army personnel throughout eastern and coastal NC and VA are responding to Hurricane Irene the day after the storm slammed the East Coast. Currently, The Salvation Army has 31 mobile feeding kitchen canteens throughout NC and 4 units in VA. The response throughout NC is being supported by 5 mobile feeding kitchen canteens from GA and 2 from the Salvation Army’s united commands of Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Salvation Army feeding units from Georgia are serving in Greenville, New Bern and Washington NC.
Major Willis Howell, Divisional Command for The Salvation Army of North and South Carolina, states “With Carolina blue skies above head, Salvation Army feeding teams are serving throughout the states of NC and VA. Thousands of our neighbors are still hurting and in need, without electricity and in need of food and water. The Salvation Army will remain in service until the needs have been met.”
Relief efforts will extend throughout the impacted region. In the short-term aftermath of the storm, Salvation Army officers and staff will continue to focus on immediate needs providing food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care to impacted individuals and families.
Through Saturday, August 27, The Salvation Army has served 15,105 meals, snacks and drinks, provided 150 people with shelter, given emotional and spiritual care to 905 individuals and logged 510 volunteer hours. Through Friday, August 26, The Salvation Army Tidewater Area Command and surrounding Salvation Army centers had provided lodging for 137 people, fed 254 meals and logged nearly 100 volunteer hours. In North Carolina, The Salvation Army has prepared to feed 90,000 individuals. The Hurricane Irene command center for the coordination of Operations and Response is located at 2718 South Memorial Drive in Greenville NC (no public services provided at this address).
Salvation Army mobile feeding units are currently positioned in the following areas:
The best way to help survivors and relief workers is to make a financial contribution. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Hurricane Ireneto visit www.salvationarmycarolinas.orgor call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Donors may also contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word STORM to 80888, and confirming the donation with the word, “Yes.” Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief,PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301. Please designate Hurricane 2011 on all checks.
At this point, in-kind donations are not being accepted. Used clothing and used furniture are seldom required during an incident. However, these gifts are vitally important in supporting the day-to-day work of your local Salvation Army. Please consider giving these items to your local Salvation Army Family Store or dial 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).
For the latest emergency disaster services news, please visit www.salvationarmycarolinas.org,
www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.organd follow the EDS team on Twitter @SalArmyEDS and @tsacarolinas.
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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmycarolinas.org.
About The Salvation Army