25 August 2017

Donation to help supply 38 Community Centers, equip 100 new volunteers, and assist with the purchase of a Division EDS support vehicle.

Syracuse, NY, August 23, 2017 — The Salvation Army Empire State Division announced receipt of a $100,000 grant awarded by the Walmart Foundation’s State Giving Program to assist with the organization’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) program. A ceremony was held at the New York State Fair in Syracuse as officials from The Salvation Army and Walmart gathered to celebrate the presentation of the $100,000 check to the organization at its booth on the fair’s opening day.

The Salvation Army Empire State Division supports thirty-eight Community Centers across the state with disaster readiness and response efforts. This grant has helped each Community Center purchase enough supplies, including cots, blankets, food and feeding supplies, to shelter and feed twenty impacted disaster survivors for up to two weeks within the community in which they live.  Overall, this support increases the Salvation Army’s maximum capacity to shelter a total of 7,350 overnight stays and provide 22,050 meals across New York during those two weeks.

This grant was also utilized to properly equip 100 new volunteers to ensure their safety on disaster scenes in accordance with national standards. Additionally, funds assisted with the purchase of a Division EDS support vehicle that is able to tow EDS trailers and serve as a communications vehicle across the state.

“Over the month of July, twenty counties were impacted in many different ways across all corners of the Empire State Division.  Literally, 1/3 of the division was impacted.  Whether, the response was to flooding, wind damage or power outages, one thing remained constant, the need to meet the needs of survivors where they are impacted.  Whether it was a meal, a clean up kit or a person to talk to, our EDS teams were there putting into use the very resources that the Walmart State Giving Grant provided.  Without these resources and the additional 118 volunteers recruited and trained under the grant, our ability to respond and serve would have been different.  We are truly humbled by the service of our volunteers and proud to say that our relationship with Walmart helped us to meet the needs of those impacted.  As we say in EDS, after the unspeakable, we speak hope.  I add that with the help of Walmart, we were able to speak hope in a loud and clear voice,” said Empire Division EDS Director Michael R. Schwartz.

Since July 1, 2017, The Salvation Army Empire State Division has served across twenty counties in response to eight separate flash flood incidents, three tornadoes and a search for a missing hiker in the Catskill Mountains.  In total, our EDS volunteers served nearly 8,400 meals and snacks, distributed over 1,200 clean up kits, 1,800 hygiene kits, 750 family preparedness kits and 450 gift cards for replacement clothing and food.  They also provided counseling to over 1,250 people and referred 780 families to partner agencies for additional assistance.  In total, our volunteer EDS teams from across New York State provided 1,594 hours of service to those in need. 

“The Salvation Army’s integrated relief services reflect exactly the kind of response needed to strengthen resiliency in our communities when disaster strikes,” said Jason Klipa, Walmart’s Director of Public Affairs & Government Relations. “Walmart is extremely proud to partner with The Salvation Army to help ensure both those directly impacted as well as volunteers have the resources they need in an emergency to take the first step towards rebuilding.”

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About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest 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 spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to empire.salvationarmy.org.

About Philanthropy at Walmart

By using our strengths to help others, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation create opportunities for people to live better every day. We have stores in 28 countries, employing more than 2.3 million associates and doing business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. We are helping people live better by accelerating upward job mobility and economic development for the retail workforce; addressing hunger and making healthier, more sustainably-grown food a reality; and building strong communities where we operate and inspiring our associates to give back. Whether it is helping to lead the fight against hunger in the United States with $2 billion in cash and in-kind donations or supporting Women’s Economic Empowerment through a series of grants totaling $10 million to the Women in Factories training program in Bangladesh, China, India and Central America, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are not only working to tackle key social issues, we are also collaborating with others to inspire solutions for long-lasting systemic change. To learn more about Walmart’s giving, visit foundation.walmart.com

Tags: Disaster