The Salvation Army Braces for Category 4 Hurricane Laura
Trained disaster staff and volunteers are on standby to serve amid pandemic, additional disasters
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (August 26) — As Hurricane Laura makes its way toward Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas as a category 4 storm, The Salvation Army is activating its Emergency Disaster Services to meet the immediate needs of survivors and first responders.
“Across the southern United States, our disaster teams have as many as 44 mobile feeding units at the ready to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of first responders, survivors and evacuees,” said Jeff Jellets, Emergency Disaster Services director for The Salvation Army’s Southern Territory. “Because we are already embedded in these communities, we’re fully prepared for whatever landfall brings — and we will be here for those affected, long after it passes.”
Disaster Preparedness Overview (August 26) — 3 p.m. EDT
The Salvation Army’s Southern Territory is prepared for the most extreme effects of Hurricane Laura:
- Incident management teams established in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas to help quickly respond after landfall
- As many as 44 mobile feeding units (canteens) on standby to serve survivors and first responders
- Each mobile feeding unit can serve 500 to 1,500 meals per day
- Partnering with evacuation shelters to support service requests
- Collaborating with state and local governments and other partners to prepare for service delivery post-landfall
- The Salvation Army is also providing emotional and spiritual care for those in the path of the storm via their Hope Hotline at 1-844-458-HOPE (4673) between 9 a.m. and 12 a.m. EST.
A digital media kit with b-roll, fact sheet, photography and social media assets can be found here.
With more than 7,600 centers of operation in the U.S., The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to support survivors of widescale disasters. The storm comes on the heels of a month when The Salvation Army is simultaneously responding to wildfires in California and the derecho in Iowa.
In addition to disaster relief, The Salvation Army has been providing social services to those impacted by COVID-19. Since the beginning of March, The Salvation Army has provided over 75.5 million meals to those suffering from food insecurity, emotional and spiritual care to over 813,000 people in need of a caring voice and listening ear, and more than 1.5 million nights of shelter for those without a place to call home.
In light of the pandemic, The Salvation Army has evolved service delivery with extra precautions, such as social distancing at food distribution sites, adapted feeding models and personal protective equipment requirements.
For more information on The Salvation Army’s continued response, visit salvationarmyusa.org or disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.
To make a financial gift to support ongoing disaster relief efforts:
- Donate online: HelpSalvationArmy.org
- Donate by phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 23 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. During times of disaster, 100 percent of designated donations to The Salvation Army are used for immediate response and long-term efforts. 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 SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.