Contact:
Salvation
Army, National Headquarters
Xenophon Strategies
Media
Relations
Erica
Lawton
(703)
647-4799
(202) 289-4001
end_of_the_skype_highlighting
mediarelations@usn.salvationarmy.org
elawton@xenophonstrategies.com
Salvation
Army, Milwaukee Divisional Headquarters
Faithe
Colas, Community Relations Director
(414)
531-6363
end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Faithe_colas@usc.salvationarmy.org
www.SAmilwaukee.org
Alexandria,
Virginia (August 28, 2011) – As
Hurricane Irene made landfall on
the North Carolina coast yesterday, The Salvation Army was providing food,
supplies and spiritual and emotional care to evacuees across the region.
Thousands across eastern North Carolina were being fed and cared for at
shelters by Salvation Army feeding teams. The Salvation Army also has
mobile feeding units prepared to aid survivors of the storm throughout the
northeast
following this morning’s landfall.
“Though
the North Carolina coast weathered the storm fairly well, we want to emphasize
the seriousness of the storm and our cooperation with local officials and
agencies,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations Secretary
for
The Salvation Army in the U.S. “With more than 2.5 million people
under
evacuation orders The Salvation Army remains committed 24/7 to providing those
impacted with the basic services they need to get through this difficult
period.”
The
Salvation Army has already served some 15,000 meals to first
responders
and evacuees in New Jersey and nearly 11,000 meals, food and
drinks in
Greenville, Washington, Elizabeth City and Morehead City in the Carolinas.
In Norfolk County, VA, The Salvation Army has served nearly 2,000
meals and snacks and provided lodging to 250 people. Similar
activities are taking place up and down the East Coast. In total, The Salvation
Army has 370 canteens and five mobile feeding
kitchens along the
eastern seaboard. Collectively, these units can provide several hundred
thousand meals per day when operating at full capacity. Also, The
Salvation Army is standing up a broad range of services, in coordination with
local, state and federal governments, including supporting shelter operations
and evacuations.
Salvation
Army locations in the Caribbean and Bahamas are focused on response and
recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irene. In addition to helping
evacuees cope with the stress and damage of the storm, response units in the
U.S. Virgin Isles and Puerto Rico are providing those affected with gift cards
to buy food, clothes and other supplies. In addition, representatives of
The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Service Team have are continuing to work
with the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to survey and
assess the damage on the islands of Acklins and Mayaguana.
On
Thursday, Commissioner William Roberts, the National Commander of The Salvation
Army, declared Hurricane Irene a national disaster, which puts all units on
alert status throughout the United States. This placed all divisions of
The Salvation Army ready to assist by preparing staff, equipment and supplies
to respond to the storm. The Salvation Army is urging all residents in the path
of Irene to heed the advice of public officials and prepare with an emergency
disaster plan.
The
most critical need right now is for monetary donations, which can be made
online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org, by calling
1-800-SAL-ARMY end_of_the_or by
texting the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through
your mobile
phone.* For more information on The Salvation Army’s preparation and
response
to Hurricane Irene, please visit http://blog.salvationarmyusa.org/, www.facebook.com/salvationarmyusa or www.twitter.com/salvationarmyus.
###
About
The Salvation Army
The
Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church
established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name
without discrimination for more than 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. 84 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is
used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more
information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org or www.SAmilwaukee.org.
* A
one‐time
donation of $10 will be billed to your mobile phone bill. Messaging & data
rates may apply. Donations are collected for The Salvation Army by
mobilecause.com. Reply STOP to 80888 to stop. Reply HELP to 80888 for
help.
For terms, see www.igfn.org/t.