07 September 2017

Michael Schwartz to Serve Salvation Army Eastern Territory as Planning Section Chief

SYRACUSE – Sept. 7, 2017 – The Salvation Army Empire Division Emergency Disaster Services Director, Michael Schwartz has been deployed as Territorial Planning Section Chief and will be responsible for all planning and situational awareness in support of response and recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The Salvation Army had pre-deployed teams on the ground in Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. Croix who have weathered the storm in safety and are beginning to assess a response. We have initial reports coming out of St. Thomas and St. Croix from our teams. More than eighty percent of homes on St. Croix sustained damage affecting nearly 44,000 residents in a population of 60,000 people. We will begin shifting our team on St. Croix to St. Thomas as we begin relief efforts. Between Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, The Salvation Army will need and deploy more personnel than on any other weather event in the organization’s history.

“Response efforts to these catastrophic weather events will be costly and last for years,” said Schwartz. “With generous public support, The Salvation Army will be here to help the millions affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma for as long as they’re in need.”

100 percent of designated gifts will be used in support of those affected by both weather events. 

Disaster Relief Overview

(9/7) – 2:30 p.m. CST/3:30 p.m. EST (Most Recent Hurricane Harvey and Irma Stats)

• Deployed 95 mobile feeding units
  • Each mobile feeding unit can serve up to 1,500 meals per day
• Set up 1 field kitchens
  • Each field kitchen can serve up to 15,000 meals per day
• Served 303,379 meals
• Distributed 4,936 food boxes
• Served 312,084 drinks
• Distributed 6,579 comfort kits
• Distributed 1,725 clean-up kits
• Provided 44,266 hours of employee and volunteer service
• Served 242,544 snacks
• Provided emotional and spiritual care to 20,761 first responders and survivors
• Delivered mobile shower units to George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston

Cash Contributions Encouraged

Donors are encouraged to contribute cash. In-kind donations require sorting, boxing, palletizing, storage, and delivery to the disaster location. All of these activities can be costly and time consuming, and therefore may delay service delivery. Cash donations allow The Salvation Army to purchase product to quickly and efficiently meet the most urgent needs of disaster victims. When possible, the purchases are made near the disaster site to stimulate the local economy and ensure quicker delivery.

It is easy to give to The Salvation Army:

• Online at
  http://helpsalvationarmy.org
   
• Donate by Mail:
  The Salvation Army
  PO BOX 1959
  Atlanta, GA 30301
  Please designate Hurricane Harvey  on all checks.
   
• DONATE via PHONE: Call 1-800-SALARMY(1-800-725-2769) to make a donation by phone
   
• Text STORM to 51555 to receive a donation link for easy mobile giving

The Salvation Army does not place an administrative fee on donations for disaster relief efforts. 100 percent of gifts will be used in support of those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Donations from the General Public

Used clothing and used furnishings are not needed for disaster relief.

However, The Salvation Army depends upon your donation of used clothing and other items to support local programming. Please consider donating your used clothing to your local Salvation Army Family Store.

Volunteers

The Salvation Army recruits and deploys disaster workers through its local Salvation Army units. To register as a disaster worker:

• Call your local Salvation Army.
• To become a volunteer register here.

 

Tags: Disaster