The Salvation Army Responds to Hurricane Helene Valdosta, GA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: 
Nathan Lawson
Public Information Officer
Valdosta Incident Command
229.429.7309
nathan.lawson@uss.salvationarmy.org

Emergency Disaster Service Teams Meet Immediate Needs in Valdosta, GA

Valdosta, GA (September 30, 2024) – Salvation Army personnel throughout South Georgia are responding to Hurricane Helene which has affected Valdosta Ga and surrounding counties. Currently, The Salvation Army has 5 canteens providing material, emotional, and spiritual assistance to survivors. Thus far 3,780 meals have been provided.  

Captain Paul Ryerson, Incident Commander for the Valdosta Response said, “The situation on the ground is still being contained. But our goal is to meet human needs without discrimination and we are determined to give a meal along with encouragement, and hope beyond the destruction in front of us. Though Valdosta has been hit hard, and lives have been changed, we want those in the wake of Helene to know, you are not alone.”

Relief efforts will extend throughout the impacted region. In the short-term aftermath of the storm, Salvation Army officers and staff will continue to focus on immediate needs providing food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care to impacted individuals and families.

Salvation Army mobile feeding units are currently positioned in the following areas:

• Sand Horizon & State Park
1195 Old Statenville Park
Valdosta, GA 31601

• Sparks City Hall
Marietta 115 Colquitt St
Sparks, GA 31647

• Agg. Building Gwinnett
400E. Cortland
Quitman, GA

• TJ Maxx
1200 W Saint Augustine
Valdosta, GA 31601

• Old Primary School
28 S Valdosta Rd
Lakeland, GA 31635

• Valdosta Corps
320 Smithland PI.
Valdosta, GA 31601

• Flying Tiger Storage
Bainbridge 4036 Bemiss Rd
Valdosta, GA 31601

•Park Ave Methodist Shelter
100 E. Park Ave
Valdosta, GA 31601

The best way to help survivors and relief workers is to make a financial contribution. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors. 

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Hurricane Helene to visit www.helpsalvationarmy.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301.  Please designate Helene Hurricane Relief on all checks.

• • A $10 donation feeds a disaster survivor for one day
  • A $30 donation provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies
  • A $100 donation can serve snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a disaster
  • A $250 donation can provide one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24 hours
  • A $500 donation keeps a Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day

At this point, in-kind donations are not being accepted.  Used clothing and used furniture are seldom required during an incident.  However, these gifts are vitally important in 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).

For the latest emergency disaster services news, please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org and follow the EDS team on Twitter @SalArmyEDS.  Interested parties may also visit https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/georgia, https://www.facebook.com/tsavaldosta.