Hurricane Ian response update from The Salvation Army of Florida

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Tampa, Florida, (January 27, 2022) — After Hurricane Ian, The Salvation Army continues to support individuals and families affected by the historic storm.

Amidst the ruins of a building that has been severely damaged by fire just before Christmas, the Naples Corps (Collier County) undertakes the task of repairing its fire-damaged buildings in a timely manner, while also continuing to assist the local community with disaster relief at the same time.

Among the top critical recovery needs are housing, a problem already exacerbated by scarcity of affordable housing, in addition to repairs and rebuilds along with household items lost to the hurricane. Transportation also continues to be a need as many vehicles were flooded by surge and rising waters. These needs are not just in Lee County, or even the Southwest Coast of Florida, but instead are needs that disaster survivors are dealing with across the peninsula as Ian impacted more than just the coast.

There is a core mission of The Salvation Army which is to meet the needs of humans in his name, or, as Captain Ben Bridges, Commander of the Naples Corps, might say, “The Army is committed to doing the most good for as many people as possible.” A coordinated long term disaster recovery effort takes more than one agency or organization can provide.

“The Salvation Army works alongside numerous other groups that have the heart and passion to meet the needs of disaster survivors in the days, months, and years after Hurricane Ian. Coming together with other disaster response and recovery organizations leverages the resources of many. This will help all of those affected by disasters,” said Steven Hartsook, Director of The Salvation Army Florida Division, Emergency Disaster Services.

Though recovery efforts may take years, The Salvation Army is positioned to respond to widespread needs as efficiently and effectively as possible. Following the weeks of active response to Ian, deploying feeding units, disaster workers, and tens of thousands of pounds of product to support the impacted communities across the state, The Salvation Army now begins working with families and individuals as they work to recover from the storm.

Ian Service Delivery by the numbers

Emergency Financial Assistance – $829,602

Served Meals – 381,000

Beverages – 263,626

Snacks – 161,524

Emotional and Spiritual Care Contacts – 16,048

Bulk Distribution Items – 179,062

Hours Served by Disaster Workers – 399077

For more information on The Salvation Army’s continued long term recovery response, visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.

To make a financial gift to support Hurricane Ian relief efforts:

  • Donate online: www.HelpSalvationArmy.org.
  • Donate by phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
  • Text-To-Donate: Text STORM to 51555 to donate to help disaster relief efforts.
  • Current media releases, updates, and information – www.disaster.salvationarm.org

One hundred percent of designated disaster donations go to direct services for survivors and first responders.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit www.SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.

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Florida Power and Light and the Florida Division Team up to Offer Hurricane Ian Utility Assist

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Tampa, Florida (October 20, 2022) – As part of FPL’s Care to Share® program, the Salvation Army is offering financial assistance to eligible customers who need to repair damaged meter enclosures and weatherheads so that they can safely receive electricity.

Eligible applicants who require repair of damaged meter cans or weatherheads so that they can safely receive power can apply for financial assistance up to $2,000 by visiting //FPL.com/help, located under the Hurricane Ian repair section. Additionally, customers who wish to contribute to Care to Share may visit //FPL.com/help to support hurricane victims.

FPL’s Care to Share® program is made possible by the generosity of FPL employees, shareholders and customers who donate to help individuals and families who are experiencing temporary difficulties.

Together The Salvation Army and FPL are doing the most good.

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Polaris Vehicles Essential In Salvation Army Hurricane Response

Port Charlotte, FL – While many areas in Florida remain inaccessible due to Hurricane Ian’s storm surge, flood waters are slowly receding in others. Neighborhoods that were previously cut off are finally able to receive service. The Salvation Army teams on the ground in Florida utilized Polaris off-road vehicles today to distribute meals in neighborhoods still not accessible to canteens and larger vehicles.

Salvation Army teams loaded each Polaris with water and boxed lunches before heading out in search of people needing food. In addition to food and water, teams were sent to provide a listening ear and spiritual/emotional care to residents still processing the overwhelming experience of Ian’s arrival and destruction.

Captain Jeremy Mockabee, Chief of Operations for the Port Charlotte incident command team, was one of the team members on the ground.

“One of the Army’s great strengths is its ability to be flexible,” said Captain Mockabee. “This is never more prevalent than in times of crisis. We adapt, even in our vehicle response. The Polaris meets a specific need. Its size, speed, and versatility make it almost essential in meeting needs in places our other, larger vehicles would not be able to navigate.”

To date, The Salvation Army has distributed 33,048 meals and 29,086 drinks in Florida. Services will continue to increase as more and more communities become accessible to service.

To support The Salvation Army’s Hurricane Ian relief efforts, donate at http://helpsalvationarmy.org or 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

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Labor of Love: The Salvation Army Continues Feeding after Hurricane Ian

Labor of LoveChrissy Arambasich is a labor and delivery nurse at a hospital in Fort Meyers, Florida. She was on duty the night Hurricane Ian tore through the area. Not even record-breaking hurricanes can stop babies from being born.

Through tears, Chrissy spoke about struggling to care for others when you do not know if your own family is safe. “I work with amazing people. We took care of our patients, and then we took care of each other whenever we had a chance.”

The hospital parking lots flooded, and every person on shift that night lost their car. Chrissy’s family made it through the storm safely, but their house is no longer habitable. They are staying with her in-laws who live close enough to the hospital that she can walk to work with no car.

Chrissy and her family stopped for lunch and dinner from The Salvation Army canteen stationed on their street. “I’m just so thankful my friends and family are safe,” Chrissy cried. Her husband put his arm around her and added, “We haven’t had a hot meal in a week. This is so amazing.”

Before heading home with their meals, Chrissy and her family prayed with an Emotional Spiritual Care specialist from The Salvation Army. She said “We have always given to The Salvation Army, and we never thought we would be the ones needing help. I don’t know how long my kids will be out of school, but we will definitely be trying to volunteer. We want to support the people who have supported us.”

The Salvation Army will continue their efforts to reach neighborhood where people have not had access to food or supplies. To date, over 16,000 meals and 15,000 drinks have been served. With an incident command fully established, The Salvation Army intends to ramp up meal service in the next days.

To support The Salvation Army’s Hurricane Ian relief efforts, donate at http://helpsalvationarmy.org or 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

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Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi (ALM) Divisions Begin Serving Fort Myers after Historic Hurricane Ian

Catastrophic conditions make community support vital

FORT MYERS, FLORIDA (October 2, 2022) — Following a three-day trek to reach Fort Myers, The Salvation Army of Texas and ALM began serving survivors of Hurricane Ian on Saturday afternoon. A total of 1,335 meals and 895 drinks were served to residents of Fort Myers. Ian comes just days after Hurricane Fiona ravaged Puerto Rico, where The Salvation Army is still serving survivors and first responders.

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm the night of Wednesday, Sept. 28, on the west coast of Florida. A heavy storm surge led to severe flooding conditions along the coastline.

“We had a long trip with a caravan of 15 mobile feeding units, trucks and support vehicles,” said Alvin Migues, Director of the Texas Division Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army and Incident Commander for the Fort Myers Operation. “We have a great team of experienced officers, staff, and trained volunteers on the ground here and expect to be serving the Fort Myers community for many weeks to come.”

The Salvation Army disaster personnel are also collaborating with federal, state, and local emergency management agencies and other social services organizations in both locations to monitor ongoing impacts and adapt response efforts, if necessary.

A digital media kit with current disaster assets can be found here.

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The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County Responds to Hurricane Ian’s Impact

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West Palm Beach, Florida (September 30, 2022) — The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County, has deployed resources and personnel to meet the immediate needs of survivors and first responders before, during and after Hurricane Ian’s catastrophic landfall in Florida. Ian comes just days after Hurricane Fiona ravaged Puerto Rico, where The Salvation Army is still serving survivors and responders.

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm Wednesday morning, Sept. 28, on the west coast of Florida, near Port Charlotte. Hurricane Ian follows a similar path as Hurricane Charlie in 2004. While Charlie was a smaller sized storm and moved much quicker across the state, Ian has been slowly moving which will cause much more significant damages. The impacts will likely be worse than Hurricane Irma in 2017, which affected some of these same communities.

Recovery efforts will take years and The Salvation Army is positioned to respond to widespread needs as efficiently and effectively as possible. 

“It is an honor to be called upon to serve others in times of disaster,” said Major James Hall, Area Commander.“Through The Salvation Army’s Canteen and Rapid Response Unit personal,we seek to show that there is hope, even in the storm. We are activated and prepared to go to where the storm hits the hardest, to meet the needs of disaster survivors in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.”

Ian Prep/Initial Response:

  • The Salvation Army has mobile feeding units, (Canteens) ready to respond, with 27 already in Florida, stationed across the state. Each mobile feeding unit can feed approximately 1,500 meals per day.
  • The Salvation Army has been feeding at evacuation shelters in many communities across the state and will continue as needed. 
  • Emergency Disaster Services warehouses in Tampa, Florida, and McDonough, Georgia are prepped with food, water, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, and other items that will be distributed to those in need in the coming days and weeks. 

The Salvation Army disaster personnel collaborate with emergency management agencies and partner agencies and organizations, as it will take the efforts of many to meet the needs of disaster survivors impacted by Hurricane Ian.

To make a financial gift to support Hurricane relief efforts:

  • Donate online: www.HelpSalvationArmy.org. 
  • Donate by phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
  • Text-To-Donate: Text STORM to 51555 to donate to help disaster relief efforts.
  • Current media releases, updates, and information – www.disaster.salvationarm.org

One hundred percent of designated disaster donations go to direct services for survivors and first responders.

For more information on The Salvation Army’s continued response, visit https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.Formore information about The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County,please call(561) 686–3530 or visit: https://salvationarmyflorida.org/westpalmbeach. Facebook information can be found by searching for @salarmypbco.

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The Salvation Army of Florida’s EDS Response for Hurricane Ian’s Impact

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Catastrophic landfall conditions make community support vital

Tampa, Florida (September 28, 2022) — The Salvation Army of Florida, Emergency Disaster Services Department has prepared resources and personnel to meet the immediate needs of survivors and first responders before, during and after Hurricane Ian’s catastrophic landfall in Florida. Ian comes just days after Hurricane Fiona ravaged Puerto Rico, where The Salvation Army is still serving survivors and responders.

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm Wednesday morning, Sept. 28, on the west coast of Florida, near Port Charlotte. Hurricane Ian follows a similar path as Hurricane Charlie in 2004. While Charlie was a smaller sized storm and moved much quicker across the state, Ian has been slowly moving which will cause much more significant damages. The impacts will likely be worse than Hurricane Irma in 2017, which affected some of these same communities.

Recovery efforts will take years and The Salvation Army is positioned to respond to widespread needs as efficiently and effectively as possible.

“It is honor to be called upon to serve others in times of disaster. Through the service of The Salvation Army, we seek to show the there is hope, even in the storm.” said Captain Stephan Wildish, Operations Canteen Coordinator. “We are activated and prepared to go to where the storm hits the hardest, to meet the needs of disaster survivors in the days, weeks, months, and years to come.”

Ian Prep/Initial Response:

  • The Salvation Army has mobile feeding units (Canteens) ready to respond, with 27 already in Florida, stationed across the state.
    • Each mobile feeding unit can feed approximately 1,500 meals per day.
  • The Salvation Army has been feeding at evacuation shelters in many communities across the state and will continue as needed.
  • Emergency Disaster Services warehouses in Tampa, Florida, and McDonough, Georgia are prepped with food, water, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, and other items that will be distributed to those in need in the coming days and weeks.

The Salvation Army disaster personnel collaborate with emergency management agencies and partner agencies and organizations, as it will take the efforts of many to meet the needs of disaster survivors impacted by Hurricane Ian.

 

For more information on The Salvation Army’s continued response, visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.

 

To make a financial gift to support Hurricane relief efforts:

  • Donate online: www.HelpSalvationArmy.org.
  • Donate by phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
  • Text-To-Donate: Text STORM to 51555 to donate to help disaster relief efforts.
  • Current media releases, updates, and information – www.disaster.salvationarm.org
One hundred percent of designated disaster donations go to direct services for survivors and first responders.

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 About The Salvation Army USA:
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,200 centers of operation around the country. During times of disaster, 100% of designated donations to The Salvation Army are used for immediate response and long-term efforts. In 2021, The Salvation Army was ranked No. 2 on the list of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.

 

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RAPID RESPONSE TO HURRICANE IDA

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The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County mobilizes resources to aid victims of the hurricane.

West Palm Beach, Florida (August 30th, 2021) – The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County has deployed two Emergency Disaster vehicles to the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coast, to provide food and services to those affected by Hurricane Ida. The local team consists of 4 trained disaster workers departed at 1:00pm from our headquarters at 2100 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd.

“The Salvation Army has a long history of serving those affected by natural and man-made disasters,” said Major James Hall. “In fact, one of our current team members also served during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina sixteen years ago.” The Salvation Army will be present to provide meals, hydration, emotional and spiritual care and other emergency services to survivors and other disaster workers.

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Hurricane Ida to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). 100% of donations received will be applied directly for this effort. At this time, no in-kind donations will be accepted.

For more information, please contact Major James Hall and/or Major Leisa Hall, Area Commanders of The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County at 561.686.3530 or visit www.salvationarmypalmbeachcounty.org. Facebook information can be found by searching for @salarmypbco.

The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County is among the largest global nonprofit providers of social services to people living in impoverished communities around the world. The Salvation Army nationally helps more than 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services.

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Boca Raton Tribune: Rapid Response to Hurricane Ida

The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County has deployed two Emergency Disaster vehicles to the Mississippi and Louisiana Gulf Coast, to provide food and services to those affected by Hurricane Ida. The local team consists of 4 trained disaster workers departed at 1:00pm from our headquarters at 2100 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd.

 

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Florida Division of The Salvation Army to send reinforcements to the Gulf Coast

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(TAMPA, FL) In the wake of Hurricane Ida, The Salvation Army in Florida has mobilized equipment and personnel to assist with relief efforts along the Gulf Coast. These Emergency Disaster teams along with mobile feeding units from Clearwater, Ocala, Palm Beach County, Pensacola, Orlando, and Lakeland will be providing life sustaining food and nourishment to both first responders and storm survivors.  With wide-spread power outages across the region getting food, water and other basic life sustaining items to those in the affect area is crucial.

“During the first few days it is critical to get this type of assistance to the affected area as quickly as possible since many may not have the ability to prepare meals because of the damage,” says Steven Hartsook, Divisional Emergency Services Director.

These mobile feeding units can serve and provide thousands of meals a day either in a centralized location or by moving throughout the affected area.

Accompanying these teams from Florida is a thirteen-member Emergency Incident Command Team that will provide direction of their relief efforts in collaboration with The Salvation Army’s Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi division who which is coordinating The Salvation Army’s response.

In addition, support equipment including a twelve bed housing unit and three additional travel trailers are also being sent to south Louisiana to help support the relief effort.

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Salvation Army Sending Aid to Haiti

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The Salvation Army Florida Division is sending much needed relief to Haiti. The aid comes after Haiti was rocked by a devastating earthquake.

A Coyote Logistics (UPS Freight) trailer bound for Orlando to be on the next UPS air cargo shipment to Haiti. Was loaded with masks, hygiene kits, tarps and disinfectant wipes.

You can aid the relief efforts by donating at the link below.

Donate Now

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