Hurricane Maria & Irma Survivors to Receive Over 100,000 Meals Daily
In one of the worst Hurricane seasons in a decade, The Salvation Army is unwavering in its continued service to those affected by the storms. With a long-term presence in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, The Salvation Army was uniquely positioned to serve over 1.2 million individuals since Hurricane Maria made landfall. Next week, The Salvation Army will meet FEMA’s request to serve approximately 100,000 meals daily to Hurricane Maria and Irma survivors, through 16 fixed and 9 mobile kitchen sites.
“Our deeper collaboration with FEMA and other strategic disaster partners has allowed The Salvation Army to secure additional resources to help the Hurricane survivor,” said Michael Orfitelli, Territorial Coordinator of Emergency Disaster Services. “The Salvation Army looks forward to meeting FEMA’s request, and continuing to help our communities move towards recovery.”
Some key updates for Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands are (as of 10.3.17):
- In Puerto Rico
- The Salvation Army has served over 1.2 million individuals since Hurricane Maria hit landfall. This is over a third of the population in Puerto Rico.
- The Salvation Army has a valuable presence in San Juan, Loíza, Fajardo, Humacao, Guayama, Ponce, Arecibo, Mayagüez, Bayamon, Peñuelas, and Caguas, serving meals, water, additional resources, and emotional/spiritual care.
- In total, over 685,000 meals, drinks, and snacks have been distributed to those in need since the impact of Hurricane Maria.
- In St. Thomas
- On September 30th, The Salvation Army received four massive containers with 1,800 boxes of meals for distribution. This will serve 21,612 meals to over 7,200 local survivors in need.
- In partnership with My Brother’s Workshop, The Salvation Army has served nearly 18,000 lunches since Hurricane Irma.
- The Salvation Army has distributed over 8,700 articles of clothing to individuals and families in need affected by Hurricane Maria.
With a permanent footprint in the affected communities, The Salvation Army Disaster Services will continue to provide assistance until the need is met and beyond.
How People Can Help
Response efforts to this hurricane and flooding are expected be costly and last for years. The best way to help after a disaster is to make a financial donation.
Online:
helpsalvationarmy.org
Donate By Phone:
1-800-SAL-ARMY
Text to Give:
STORM to 51555
Mail Checks - ** Please designate “Hurricane 2017” on all checks.
The Salvation Army
PO Box 1959
Atlanta, GA 30301
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit www.SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.