For more than 100 years, The Salvation Army has been responding to natural disasters and other emergencies within the United States.

No matter the season, Salvation Army mobile feeding units and teams of trained disaster workers are always ready to offer help, hope and healing to disaster survivors and rescue workers.

Salvation Army disaster relief efforts focus on providing hot meals and drinks, emotional and spiritual care, emergency supplies and financial assistance, as well as supporting long-term recovery.

The southern USA is prone to severe weather events, such as tropical storms, tornadoes and hurricanes. Devastating disasters can often affect thousands of people with little to no warning.

In 2024, The Salvation Army's USA Southern Territory responded with:

60,011
food boxes

820,764
served meals

426,789
snacks

442,737
drinks

13,191
gift cards

570,625
in-kind items

75,821
emotional and spiritual care contacts

 

Hurricane season

The 2024 hurricane season was incredibly destructive, beginning with Hurricane Beryl in early July and culminating with the back-to-back Hurricanes Helene and Milton, causing damage in 10 out of the 15 states in the USA Southern Territory. While hurricanes vary in strength, most that make landfall result in power outages and limit access to food supplies. Temperatures can reach 37°C, and the lack of cold drinks, ice and air conditioning can quickly create dangerous situations.

The Salvation Army quickly mobilises to provide cold drinks and meals in the immediate aftermath of a storm. As populations regain the ability to cook and provide their own meals, services often transition to bulk distributions of clean-up kits, grocery boxes and other supplies needed to begin the recovery process.

Response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton

Each disaster creates its own unique circumstances and special needs. The Salvation Army disaster relief efforts are adapted according to the magnitude of the disaster and of the specific needs of survivors.

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services

EDUCATION

We provide information and training to help people protect themselves against the impact of disasters and we offer an extensive training programme of specialised courses for disaster workers.

FOOD SERVICE

When disaster strikes, we quickly mobilise to provide food and drinks to survivors and rescue workers. A hot meal, a warm cup of coffee or a cold bottle of water are often the first expressions of care to someone whose life has been turned upside down.

EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL CARE

Many disaster survivors and first responders experience emotional distress after a traumatic event such as a tornado. We deploy specially trained individuals to offer emotional and spiritual care to rescue workers and disaster survivors who may need a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on or a word of encouragement. Emotional and Spiritual Care workers are also able to answer questions about the disaster recovery process and how to find and receive services.

EMERGENCY SUPPLY DISTRIBUTION

Our disaster warehouses are stocked with critical emergency relief supplies, such as food, water, cleaning products, baby supplies and hygiene items, which can be quickly delivered and distributed to disaster survivors.

EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

After a survivor has lost everything, we provide gift cards and vouchers to help purchase and replace the things they need most: food, clothing, child and baby care items, prescription medications, and supplies to clean and repair homes.

DONATIONS MANAGEMENT

After a disaster, we identify needs in affected communities and partner with donors to responsibly collect, transport and distribute critically needed supplies to survivors.

LONG-TERM RECOVERY

Disaster recovery may take years. The Salvation Army works with government, charitable and private-sector partners to promote community resilience and help survivors rebuild and return to normality.