Lighthouses in the Dark: The Salvation Army Joins Community Group to Serve in New Orleans

New Orleans, LA (Sept 13, 2024) - Hurricane Francine made landfall on the coast of Louisiana on Tuesday, leaving many coastal residents in areas already beleaguered by previous hurricanes without power or access to resources. Salvation Army teams began service today with seven mobile feeding units spread across the coast. In New Orleans, First Grace United Methodist Church graciously offered their entrance as a space for The Salvation Army canteen to park and serve meals in the community.

The church was also hosting representatives from Together New Orleans. Comprised of over sixty community organizations, including churches and synagogues, Together New Orleans operates over ten “lighthouses” that activate when power goes out in New Orleans. The “lighthouses” offer alterative power sources to provide communities with the resources they need when there’s no electricity.

Residents can come check-out battery packs to take back to their homes to run medical devices or whatever they need and can keep the devices until they run out of power. The Health Department also sets up for screenings and has oxygen tanks on hand if anyone runs out, and representatives from the SPCA are onsite to help provide for and care for pets in affected areas.

Dr. Renee Hickson, a volunteer with Together New Orleans explained, “When the power goes out, we have the ability to help our communities in need. Each organization comes together with our individual abilities to serve in times of disaster.”

The Salvation Army mobile feeding units were able to join these efforts by providing hot meals to those coming for help at the “lighthouse.” In addition to feeding on site, the team was happy to assist Frank, a volunteer with Together New Orleans, who had discovered struggling residents in an assisted living facility when he and his team were picking up a battery pack. With no power, no elevators, and no ability to get out, the residents had no access to food. The Salvation Army was able to send 50 hot meals with the volunteers as they returned with new battery packs.

The Salvation Army remains committed to serving coastal Louisiana as long as need exists. William Trueblood, Divisional Disaster Director for the Alabama Louisiana Mississippi division, summed it up, “We are one army. We serve our local communities every day, but when disaster strikes, we unite to provide support wherever it’s needed. We are here, serving before a disaster, during the crisis, and long after the crisis subsides.”