San Francisco, CA (May 21, 2012) - FedEx Corp. made a very special delivery last Friday to The Salvation Army, Golden State Division during National Salvation Army Week. As part of the company's commitment to supporting disaster relief efforts around the world, FedEx donated a custom Disaster Response Unit (DRU) to The Salvation Army, the first vehicle of its kind to be used in San Francisco. The new canteen will help Salvation Army workers and volunteers better serve the community by providing meals to needy and displaced residents during and after natural disasters.
"At FedEx, we are fully committed to disaster relief and recovery through our transportation network and are known for making critical deliveries in times of need," said Rose Flenorl, manager, Global Citizenship, FedEx Services. "Through the donation of this new Disaster Response Unit, we hope to help The Salvation Army continue to deliver much-needed food and aid to San Francisco-area residents in times of need."
The co-branded DRU, valued at $100,000, is one of 15 units that FedEx has donated to The Salvation Army global fleet during the past five years. It is outfitted with the latest equipment and technology to assist disaster response personnel in helping community members during and after emergencies such as fires, earthquakes, floods or other weather-related disasters.
The custom-designed and built unit features a fully functional kitchen where workers and volunteers can prepare meals and feed approximately 2,500 people per day. It is also outfitted with a GPS tracking device which keeps Salvation Army commanders aware of the unit's exact location at any given time. In addition to assisting personnel during disaster situations, the unit will participate in The Salvation Army's street outreach program, which serves approximately 750 unsheltered people per week.
"Mobile feeding units are the main pillars of The Salvation Army's disaster response capability and other local feeding efforts," said Major Wayne Froderberg, emergency disaster services coordinator, The Salvation Army's Golden State Division. "These Disaster Response Units, like the one donated by FedEx, allow our responders to be among the first on the scene of a disaster and help ease the devastation experienced by so many involved."
The canteen donated for use in the San Francisco area represents over $1.5 million dollars in vehicles that FedEx has donated worldwide in the past five years. In addition to the donation last week, units have been presented to the following U.S. cities -- Chicago, Miami, New Orleans, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., Memphis and Boston -- and are in use abroad in San Juan, London, Mexico City, Sydney and Winnipeg.
About FedEx
FedEx Corp. provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $42 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain "absolutely, positively" focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established 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 spent is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org .
About The Salvation Army