Trained disaster professionals prepared to
meet needs of impacted communities across Southeastern
coast
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 7, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services
(EDS) teams launched multistate feeding and relief operations after
Tropical Storm Debby made landfall in Florida as a Category I hurricane on the
morning of Aug. 5. While the system
was downgraded to a tropical storm later in the day, forecasts
predict that Debby will bring historic rainfall levels to the
Southeastern coast, continuing the trend of a truly record-breaking
2024 Atlantic hurricane season. In response to the immediate and
ongoing impacts of the disaster, The Salvation Army's trained
disaster personnel have activated mobile feeding units and
evacuation shelters in Florida,
Georgia, and the Carolinas as
communities experience mass power outages and flooding.
"Recovery from every disaster is different, but The Salvation
Army is prepared for a marathon, not a sprint," said Commissioner
Kenneth G. Hodder, national
commander of The Salvation Army. "The Salvation Army was there
before Tropical Storm Debby, and thanks to the overwhelming
generosity of the American public, we will be able to continue
meeting the needs of survivors and first responders for as long as
the need persists."
Additionally, The Salvation Army is working with federal, state,
and local emergency management agencies to adapt response efforts
as needed by monitoring the ongoing impacts of the storm.
"Though the South continues to bear the brunt of this Atlantic
hurricane season, our EDS professionals and volunteers were ready
to activate as soon as Tropical Storm Debby made landfall," said
Jeff Jellets, EDS director for The
Salvation Army's Southern Territory. "We are providing physical,
emotional, and spiritual care to the affected communities to bring
hope amid great loss."
The Salvation Army's active services:
- The Salvation Army of Florida
activated seven mobile feeding units in Sarasota and Perry. The Salvation Army of Georgia has four mobile feeding units in
Chatham, Coffee, Camden, and Glynn counties.
- 19 additional response and feeding units in the Carolinas have
been placed on standby as the storm progresses, seven in
South Carolina and 12 in
North Carolina.
- Incident Management Teams are stationed throughout both
Florida and Georgia to manage logistics and response on
the ground in impacted areas.
- The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster teams are prepared to
deliver critical emergency relief supplies, such as water and
cleanup kits.
The best way to support EDS efforts in the Southeast is by
making a financial contribution, which allows The Salvation Army to
meet immediate and long-term needs. Those who are able to donate
can do so through a variety of convenient methods:
- Online: helpsalvationarmy.org
- Phone: Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or text "STORM" to +1
325-603-3395
- Venmo: @SalvationArmyUSA and use the keywords Tropical Storm
Debby, Tropical Storm, or Debby
To learn more about The Salvation Army's disaster relief
efforts, click here.
A media kit with photos and other useful materials can be found
here.
For media inquiries, please
email mediarelations@salvationarmyusa.org.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 27 million people in
America overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through
a range of social services by providing food for the hungry,
emergency relief for disaster survivors, shelter for the homeless,
and rehabilitation services for people in need. The Salvation Army
is doing the most good at 6,400 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 X @SalvationArmyUS
and #DoingTheMostGood.
Media Contact
Bishop Wash, Director, PR
Lerma Agency
972-854-1586
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SOURCE The Salvation Army