The Salvation Army Helps Those Impacted by South GA Tornados
Donald Felice | donald.felice@uss.salvationarmy.org
Columbus, GA (March 5, 2019) – A devastating series of tornadoes that ripped through eastern Alabama on Sunday forged further east to discharge a measure of their fury throughout the South Georgia region. In Columbus, GA, just thirty miles east from the main devastation located in Lee County, AL, The Salvation Army partnered with local authorities to strategize how best to help those in Georgia impacted by the winter storm.
On Monday afternoon, The Salvation Army of Columbus started cooking meals for first responders and residents impacted by the tornados either picking up the pieces of their homes or refuging at a Red Cross shelter in Talbotton, GA, where over sixty homes were damaged or completely destroyed. “We are here to do all the good we can,” says Pastor Michael David, shelter director at The Salvation Army of Columbus and leader of the disaster relief cooking operation for The Salvation Army of Columbus. Salvation Army canteens from Columbus and Newnan, GA work alongside Red Cross units to deliver meals prepared each day by the Columbus Corps.
One hundred and forty miles to the south, in Cairo, GA, The Salvation Army of Thomasville, GA started cooking meals today for responders and impacted area residents that were gathered at a Red Cross shelter located in Grady County, where an EF2 tornado with winds of 120 mph shook houses, toppled trees downed power lines. Canteens from Thomasville and Bainbridge, GA deliver 550 meals to the shelter and to impacted residents for lunch and dinner.
“We are humbled and prepared to provide relief services to our fellow residents in Georgia impacted by this devastating weather,” says Lanita Lloyd, Director of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army of Georgia. “And we will continue to assess and deploy Salvation Army disaster relief resources when and where they are needed.”
Lloyd says on Wednesday The Salvation Army plans to also start distribution of cleanup kits to help residents impacted by the storms.
How to Help
The best way to help after a disaster is to make a financial donation.
- Donate Online: helpsalvationarmy.org
- Donate By Phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
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.