02 September 2017

Largest-scale activation since Hurricane Katrina

The Salvation Army has activated trained disaster relief teams in the United States and Canada and is beginning to mobilize teams in Mexico. Every team being deployed to Texas is providing food, hydration, cleanup kits, hygiene supplies, and emotional and spiritual care to first responders and survivors.

“The Empire State Division stands ready to assist our peers along the Gulf Coast as they continue to respond and begin recovery from this historic storm,” said Michael Schwartz, Divisional Emergency Disaster Services Director for The Salvation Army Empire State Division. “At this time, we have over 30 volunteers ready to deploy south to assist with all facets of our response including incident command leadership, feeding, distribution of relief supplies and emotional and spiritual care. Additionally, many of our volunteers are bilingual, which allows us to ensure timely services to those families that English is a second language. We also are monitoring weather here within New York State for any impacts from the remnants of Harvey as well as any potential impact from the newly formed Irma off the East Coast. We want to ensure that we are able to respond to any impacts here as well as helping out on the Gulf.”

Disaster Relief Overview

(9/2) - 9:30 a.m. CST/10:30 a.m. ET

• Deployed 77 mobile feeding units
  • Each mobile feeding unit can serve up to 1,500 meals per day
• Set up two field kitchens
  • Each field kitchen can serve up to 15,000 meals per day
• Served 150,158 Meals
• Served 104,271 Drinks
• Served 79,253 Snacks
• Distributed 3,208 Food Boxes
• Distributed 2,177 comfort kits
• 17,328 hours of employee and volunteer service
• Provided emotional and spiritual care to 4,213 first responders and survivors
• Delivered mobile shower units to George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston
  • Each unit contains 12 private showers

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.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need without discrimination for more than 135 years in the U.S. More than 25 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: 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. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). The Salvation Army has served survivors of every major national disaster since 1900. The Salvation Army does not place an administrative fee on disaster donations. During emergency disasters, 100 percent of designated gifts are used to support specific relief efforts. For more information, go to SalvationArmyUSA.org or follow on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS

About The Salvation Army Empire State Division

The Empire State Division of The Salvation Army covers 48 counties in upstate New York and one city in Pennsylvania (Sayre, Pa.) Our annual Red Kettle Campaign in November and December helps our 40 community and worship centers, service areas in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse and 167 volunteer driven service units raise funds that remain in each community to help those in need.

Website: www.salvationarmyempirestate.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salvationarmyempirestate
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SalArmyEmpire
Instagram: http://instagram.com/salarmyempire
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/salarmyempire
Google+: http://gplus.to/salarmyempire

Tags: Disaster