The Salvation Army in West Virginia Ready for Hurricane Sandy

Charleston, WV (October 30, 2012) - After Hurricane Sandy’s hard winds and rain, swept across the East Coast, leaving many areas to struggle with loss and destruction, The Salvation Army in West Virginia now face the surge of cold winds, heavy rain and snow fall, causing power outages in many areas.

Throughout the state of West Virginia, The Salvation Army opened their door today to provide shelter, food, water, hygiene supplies and pastoral care to people in need.  The Salvation Army locations in West Virginia impacted include the following:

Charleston, WV: (serving Clay, Kanawha, and Putnam, Roane Counties)

• The Salvation Army Charleston Area Command has opened its doors this morning to provide 15 people with shelter, food and hygiene kits.
• 90 hours of volunteer assists was provided by the community.
• 24,000 people in their four county areas are without power.

Beckley, WV: (serving Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh, Webster, and Wyoming Counties)

• The Salvation Army has set up a shelters at the following schools:

              Independence Middle School
             Shady Spring Middle School
             Trap Hill Middle School

Each of these locations is set up to provide a place to sleep, meals, snacks and drinks to individuals and families.

• 2 Mobile Feeding Canteens are on stand-by.
• The local EOC is working on volunteer assistance and shelter opening in Fayette County.
• 55,000 people are without power in Raleigh County.

Grafton, WV: (serving Barbour, Taylor, Tucker and Randolph Counties)

• The Salvation Army is working with Elkins Fire Department to provide food, bottled waters, canned food and fruits to people located in a shelter in Elkins.  They estimate to serve over 100 people. 
• Another 50 people are without power in Philippi, WV.  The Salvation Army in Grafton is working to help prepare meals at the Philippi Fire Department to take to families at a shelter in Belington, WV. 

Bluefield, WV:

• The Salvation Army has opened their building to provide shelter, while working closely with the Red Cross to provide food, snacks and drinks.

Martinsburg, WV: (serving Berkeley, Jefferson and Morgan Counties)

• The Salvation Army is working at a Red Cross shelter to provide food for the residence in Berkeley County.

Monetary donations are the most critical need as supplies and personnel are mobilized.

• Donors are encouraged to give online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
• You can also text the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your mobile phone; to confirm your gift, respond with the word “Yes.”*
• Those interested in volunteering should register at www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org. Please note that disaster service training is a prerequisite for volunteering in a disaster zone and not all registered volunteers will be called on to serve.
• At this point, in-kind donations, such as used clothing and used furniture, are not being accepted for hurricane relief. However, these items are vital to 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).
• Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Services Center, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301. Please designate “2012 Hurricane Season” on all checks.
• Corporations, foundations and others interested in donating to The Salvation Army response effort should contact Jaime Joswick, Director of Brand Management for The Salvation Army, at Jaime_Joswick@usn.salvationarmy.org.

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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 a broad 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.salvationarmyusa.org.

*A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Message & Data Rates May Apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and TMobile. By participating you certify that you agree to the terms and conditions, that you are 18 yrs. or older, or have parental permission, and have authorization from the account holder. Donations are collected for the benefit of The Salvation Army by the Innovative Giving Foundation and subject to the terms found at igfn.org/t. Privacy policy: igfn.org/p. Text STOP to 80888 to stop; Text HELP to 80888 for help.