Reaching New Heights to #Rescue Christmas

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Because of the financial hardship on so many this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and because of the fewer store locations allowing kettles to be set up, Captain Stephan Wildish knew something had to be done to ensure that the Tallahassee, FL Corps Red Kettle Goal of $215,000 was met.

With the campaign slogan of “Reaching New Heights to #Rescue Christmas”, Captain Wildish pledged to go 40 feet in the air for 24 hours with the goal of raising $24,000.

All of this took place on Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2020, in order to draw awareness of the great need in our community and the opportunity to give back. If he reached the goal before the 24 hour mark, he would get to come down early!

Thanks to United Rental in Tallahassee for their donation of a 40 foot scissor lift, Captain Wildish started his journey at 6:00am on Giving Tuesday to raise much needed funds.

On the coldest day of the season in Tallahassee (33 degrees at 6am), Captain Wildish lifted off. The funds started coming in rapidly! At 3:30 pm that afternoon, $21,000 had been raised! At 4:00pm, an anonymous donor stopped by the lift, called Captain Wildish on his cell phone, and stated that he would match dollar for dollar whatever was raised! By 6:30pm, Captain Wildish had exceeded his goal by raising $24,031.38. With the match, the campaign raised a total of $48,062.76!

Not only did he get to come down early on the coldest day of the season so far, but the Lord tremendously blessed his efforts.

With the support and work of the Tallahassee Corps Advisory Board and staff, media partners, a realty company that donated space, local supporters of our work, and even a local restaurant that donated lunch to the Captain, the goal was met and exceeded.

With the Lord’s blessing, Captain Stephan Wildish truly did “Reach New Heights to #Rescue Christmas” for the Tallahassee Community.

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Salvation Army Deploying Teams from Florida to Carolinas Ahead of Hurricane Florence

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LUTZ, FL (September 10, 2018) – Having strengthened from a tropical storm over the weekend, Hurricane Florence is expected to increase in significance as it approaches the southeastern United States. As the threat to Florida’s coast has lessened, The Salvation Army will deploy mobile feeding units, staff, and volunteers from across Florida to assist areas where the storm is expected to make landfall in North and South Carolina.

Teams from Clearwater, Cocoa, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Melbourne, Miami, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Stuart, Tallahassee, and Vero Beach are preparing now to be in place mid-week in anticipation of serving impacted areas after the storm.

“The units being deployed each have the capacity to serve 500 – 1,500 meals per day,” says Steven Hartsook. Salvation Army Director of Emergency Disaster Services.

“The Salvation Army prepares all year to be able to serve where needed. Individual and family preparedness is crucial in advance of a disaster, and we want to remind everyone that the time to prepare for the next storm is now,” says Hartsook.

The Salvation Army will also deploy a 53’ refrigerated feeding support trailer from Florida to North Carolina to assist with transporting food and drinks to affected areas.

To support The Salvation Army’s Hurricane Florence relief efforts, visit www.HelpSalvationArmy.org. For updates on The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster response efforts, visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Lindsay Crossland, Director of Communications
P: 727-403-7766
E: Lindsay.Crossland@uss.salvationarmy.org 

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About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 135 years in the United States. Nearly 25 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: food for the hungry, relief for disaster survivors, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army are used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). For more information, visit www.SalvationArmyFlorida.org or follow on Twitter @SalArmyFlorida.

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