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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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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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The Salvation Army Ready to Respond as Hurricane Florence Makes Landfall

Organization providing meals, serving first responders as they prepare for relief efforts

ALEXANDRIA, VA (September 14, 2018) – The Salvation Army’s national network of disaster staff and volunteers has been activated since Monday, September 10, to mobilize for storm preparation and response. Trained emergency disaster personnel are prepared to provide food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual support to survivors and first responders. Staff and volunteers are also serving at emergency shelters and staffing emergency operations centers. An incident command team and staging area for North and South Carolina has been established in Charlotte.

The Salvation Army has committed more than 60 mobile feeding units across four states to Hurricane Florence relief operations. Each canteen can provide up to 1,500 meals per day. The Salvation Army is also working closely with other charitable disaster responders, such as Operation BBQ Relief, who is staging a kitchen alongside Salvation Army units in Charlotte. As of September 14, The Salvation Army has provided more than 8,000 meals, 6,500 drinks and 5,000 snacks.

Because The Salvation Army has more than 7,600 centers of operation in the U.S., they’re often the first ones on the scene. And they don’t leave – as part of the communities they serve, they help people recover now and later rebuild.

“Donations from the generous public will help provide food, shelter and other valuable resources that survivors need,” said Lt. Col. Ward Matthews, national community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. “After immediate needs are met, The Salvation Army will remain and continue to partner with impacted communities to rebuild, which could take years.”

The best way to support the survivors of Hurricane Florence is by making a financial contribution. This gives relief organizations flexibility to quickly and efficiently meet the immediate needs of disaster survivors without incurring many of the costs associated with sorting, packing, transporting and distributing donated goods.

To contribute to The Salvation Army’s Hurricane Florence disaster relief efforts, visit HelpSalvationArmy.org, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY, ask Amazon Alexa to “make a donation to The Salvation Army,” or text “STORM” to 51555.

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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.

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