Salvation Army Deploys Emergency Team & Canteen To Major Flooded Area In Vermont

Portland, ME (August 29, 2011) - As Vermont residents began coping with the worst flood disaster in 80 years, The Salvation Army joined disaster response efforts today by sending a Burlington-based canteen to the stricken town of Ludlow, located in the southeastern part of the state.

Captain William Thompson, newly appointed commander of The Salvation Army's Burlington Corps, is leading a team of trained disaster response volunteers from Lewiston, ME, to provide meals for emergency workers and victims of the flooding in just one of the many communities devastated by Tropical Storm Irene.

Also, included on the team is near-by Salvation Army Rutland Commander, Major Charles Balcom.

The organization's leaders are anticipating that more canteens will be deployed to other hard-hit locations such as Brattleboro and Bennington.

In Ludlow, the canteen will be equipped to serve food and beverages to as many as 500 individuals. In addition, Salvation Army officers will be on duty to provide spiritual counseling.

The coordination of emergency response efforts were further challenged when the state Emergency Management Office in Waterbury was forced to evacuate its own building because of flooding and relocate with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a nearby building.

In New Hampshire, the Nashua Salvation Army served 25 meals to flood victims at a shelter at the Nashua High School North. Also, this past weekend the Rochester, NH Salvation Army opened its doors to shelter and feed more than 50 people affected by the storm

Monetary donations to help The Salvation Army's hurricane relief efforts may be sent to:

The Salvation Army
Disaster Gift Processing Center
P.O. Box 1959
Atlanta, GA 30301
*Designation ‘2011 Hurricane Season'

• Credit card donations, please call: 1-800-SAL-ARMY
• Donate online: donate.salvationarmyusa.org/Irene
• Text to give: Text ‘STORM' to 80888 to make a $10 contribution.

Thank you!

The Salvation Army is already serving thousands living in regions impacted by Hurricane Irene.

• The Salvation Army has served 15,000 meals to first responders and evacuees in New Jersey.
• Nearly 14,000 meals, snacks and drinks have been served in Greenville, Washington, Elizabeth City and Morehead City in the Carolinas.
• In Norfolk and Spotsylvania Counties, VA, The Salvation Army has already served more than 6,400 meals, snacks and drinks and provided lodging to 265 people.
• More than 5,000 meals, snacks and drinks have been served at multiple shelter locations throughout Maryland and West Virginia.
• In Connecticut, The Salvation Army has served hundreds of meals to evacuees at shelters as well as to first responders.
• The Salvation Army is feeding at numerous shelter facilities throughout Massachusetts and other parts of New England.

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 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.