The Salvation Army Serves Those Affected by Hurricane Matthew
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The Salvation Army Serves Those Affected By Hurricane Matthew
(Updated October 8, 2016) Even as Hurricane Matthew continues to pound North and South Carolina, Salvation Army disaster units in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas have already begun to respond to the storm's effects, providing 13,532 Meals, 8,619 Drinks, and 6,070 Snacks (for current statistics go to https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/aboutus/?fastfacts). Seventy-four (74) Salvation Army mobile feeding units are now active across across four states.
Florida Division
The Salvation Army Florida Division has deployed 30 canteens today to begin providing food and hydration to communities affected by Hurricane Matthew. In addition to units from Florida, six canteens (from Birmingham, AL, Mobile, AL, Tuscaloosa, AL, Jackson, MS, and McComb, MS) are serving today in affected areas of the Sunshine State:
- 12 mobile feeding units, working from The Salvation Army's Daytona Beach corps, will provide services in Volusia County.
- 11 mobile feeding units under The Salvation Army's Jacksonville Area Command are assigned to provide services in Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, and St Johns counties.
- 5 mobile feeding units, under the Salvation Army Melbourne corps, have been deployed to Brevard County.
- Additional mobile feeding units are active in St. Lucie, Indian River, and Martin counties.
Georgia Division
Two incident management teams will deploy on Saturday and Sunday. One team will deploy to Savannah and another to Brunswick, GA. The Brunswick IMT is being deployed from The Salvation Army's Arkansas & Oklahoma Division and will be responsible for coordinating operations in both Brunswick and St. Mary's, GA.
The Georgia Division has activated 18 mobile feeding units across the state.
These units include 11 mobile kitchens deploying to the GA coast. Four canteens (from Atlanta Red Shield, Carrollton, Covington and Macon) will deploy to Savannah; four canteens (from Elberton, Gainesville, Lawrenceville and Columbus) to Brunswick; and three canteens (from Americus, Bainbridge and Valdosta) to St. Mary's. A 53' foot field kitchen from Texas and an additional disaster canteen from Biloxi, MS, is also in route to support feeding efforts.
In addition, The Salvation Army Georgia Division has been actively supporting evacuation efforts across the Peach State for several days. Local Salvation Army disaster teams have been providing meals and drinks at evacuation shelters, emergency operations centers, and critical workforce staging areas. Pre-landfall mass care locations include sites in Augusta, Dublin, Douglas, Macon, Savannah, Tifton and Waycross. Six additional Salvation Army mobile kitchens have been deployed to support these efforts, including the Albany, Augusta, Dublin, Savannah, St. Marys, and Atlanta Evangeline Booth College canteens.
North & South Carolina Division
The Salvation Army has 26 mobile feeding units positioned in the states of North and South Carolina in advance of Hurricane Matthew. These include six out-of-division canteens from Louisville KY, Perry County KY, Clarksville TN, Charleston WV, Huntington WV, and Princeton, WV.
Even before Hurricane Matthew impacts the two states' coasts today, The Salvation Army has provided extensive support to local emergency management officials coordinating evacuation efforts:
- Salvation Army personnel in Charleston, SC are providing mass feeding support to the Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester County EOCs with the support of the Greenville, SC canteen and team and the Winston-Salem, NC canteen and team.
- Salvation Army personnel in Orangeburg, SC are providing mass feeding support to responders at the Orangeburg County EOC as well as four shelter sites. The Greensboro canteen is in place and staffed with a crew from Orangeburg.
- Salvation Army personnel in Beaufort, SC are providing mass feeding support to responders at the Beaufort County EOC with the support of the Anderson, SC canteen and crew.
- Salvation Army personnel in Georgetown, SC are providing mass feeding support to the Georgetown County EOC as well as the Williamsburg County EOC in addition to six shelter sites with support from the Charlotte canteen and crew.
- Salvation Army personnel in Sumter, SC are providing mass feeding support to shelters in Clarendon and Sumter Counties with the support of the Hickory canteen and crew.
- Salvation Army personnel in Columbia, SC are providing mass feeding support to emergency personnel and rescue crews staged along the I-26.
- Salvation Army personnel in Aiken, SC are providing mass feeding support from their kitchen to responders at the Barnwell County EOC.
- A canteen from Waynesville, NC canteen ahas been deployed to Conway, SC to provide local support.
Additional Response Activities
The Salvation Army of Dothan, AL, is providing support at an emergency evacuation shelter in Dothan, AL, and is coordinating the delivery of meals.
The Salvation Army has deployed two satellite communications units in support of disaster operations; one unit is deploying to Florida and the second is stationed in North Carolina.
Salvation Army liaisons are being dispatched to state emergency operations centers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina and the FEMA National and Regional Response Coordination Centers in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, GA respectively. The Salvation Army is also staffing numerous county emergency operations centers in impacted states.
An additional Incident Management Assistance Team and seven additional mobile feeding units from The Salvation Army's National Capital & Virginia divisional canteens remain on standby.
(October 7, 2016) The Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) is providing food, beverage, and spiritual support to survivors and first responders following the destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew in Florida early Friday morning. Salvation Army teams are also serving in Georgia and prepared to serve in South Carolina and North Carolina.
In response to Hurricane Matthew, The Salvation Army has provided:
- 9,998 meals
- 4,340 drinks
- 3,547 snacks
- 2,395 hours of employee and volunteer service
The Salvation Army Florida Division has worked through the storm to provide support to emergency workers and/or evacuation centers in numberous counties, including Brevard, Hillsborough, St. Lucie, St. John and Volusia. All Florida disaster personnel and equipment from Key West to Pensacola have been mobilized to respond to Hurricane Matthew.
The Salvation Army Georgia Division is supporting evacuation activities in the state and repositioning personnel and mobile feeding units (canteens) for post-storm relief operations. Canteen strike teams have been assigned to deploy to Savannah, Brunswick, and St. Mary's. The Salvation Army is Savannah is currently providing food service at the Chatham County EOC and preparing to support critical workforce shelters within the county. Two Salvation Army canteens will be dispatched to Augusta, to support evacuation shelters there. The Salvation Army of Dublin is also providing food for local shelters.
The Salvation Army of the Carolinas has mobilized Salvation Army mobile feeding kitchens and personnel as Hurricnae Matthew churns its way up the coast from Florida. Salvation Army units from North and South Carolina are serving hot meals at EOC operations and providing mass feeding to support evacuation operations in South Carolina. In addition, The Salvation Army is also feeding evacuees at shelters as requested by local emergency management. Currently seven canteens are deployed, with canteens and crews from as far away as West Virginia positioned in Raleigh, waiting to support wherever needed.
"We are here, we are read," said Major Tom Louden, general secretary for The Salvation Army of the Carolinas. "Our mission is to bring light and hlpe into the lives of people in their darkest moment. In the days, weeks and months ahead, The Salvation Army will continue to respond to the physical and spiritual needs of the community."
How People Can Help
The best way to help after a disaster is to make a financial donation to the charity of your choice. Cash is flexible, can be used immediately in response to a crisis, and allows disaster relief organizations to purchase exactly what is needed, when it's needed. Cash gives relief organizations the means to procure supplies near the affected area, which cuts down on transportation time and cost. Monetary contributions also support local economies and ensure that businesses can operate when relief supplies diminish.
It's easy to supplrt The Salvation Army's disaster relief program:
- Donate Online: https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/hurricane_matthew
- Donate By Mail: The Salvation Army PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301 Please designate 'Hurricane Matthew' on all checks.
- Donate By Phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
- Donate By Text: Text STORM to 51555 to receive a donation link for easy mobile giving
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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 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. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). Nationally, approximately 84 cents of every dollar raised is used to support programs and services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide.