• Brent Rinehart

Desperate for Power in Aiken, SC

Aiken, SC (10/4/2024)--Jannie Cheatham, a dedicated employee and Corps member for The Salvation Army of Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell and Edgefield Counties in South Carolina, examines her limited food supplies. She sees what she has in the pantry and refrigerator, and from that, she determines what food to prepare for the day. Many in the community are relying on The Salvation Army in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

Today’s lunch menu: shredded chicken and noodles with freshly baked cornbread.

For many in the area with no power, they have been surviving on peanut butter sandwiches or crackers. Their first hot meal following the destruction left in the wake of Helene came from one of The Salvation Army’s canteens or food delivery trucks.

Aiken, S.C., and the surrounding counties, according to officials, was the hardest hit area in the state, on the eastern side of Helene’s eye wall. When Helene unleashed her fury, she came with 7-12 inches of rain and winds estimated to have reached 100 miles per hour. As a result, nearly a third of the county remains without power a week after the storm. Many homes have been damaged and some destroyed altogether.

By God’s providence, The Salvation Army Corps in Aiken was spared from loss of power, despite the surrounding neighborhood and 98 percent of the county losing power. For this reason, The Salvation Army was able to respond in the immediate aftermath. From the Corps kitchen, with one stove, Cheatham and an army of staff of volunteers prepare each day for reaching out in the community.

The Salvation Army has been on the ground serving here from the beginning; it has provided more than 12,000 meals since Friday, Sept. 27 at multiple locations. Many of the neighborhoods The Salvation Army is serving were not only the hardest hit, they were already struggling before the storm.

“People barely making it by have now been pushed over the edge,” said Captain Michael Good, Corps Officer for The Salvation Army in Aiken.

Good accompanies staff and volunteers to strategic locations across the region for lunch service. You can find him hugging residents, sharing a reassuring smile and providing an even more critical service than feeding: prayer.

People arrive at the KJ’s Market in Aiken for a hot meal, many not expecting power to be restored at their homes for days, or even weeks. It’s obvious The Salvation Army’s presence is a spark of hope in an otherwise desperate situation. But, the gratitude is evident.

“God bless y’all.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Thank you; I have six kids at home.”

“God bless you, I really mean it.”

Good shares an encouraging smile. “How are you holding up? You doing okay?”

“I’m trying, I’m taking it a day at time,” he hears in response.

Good stops in the moment and prays for God to provide peace and comfort. He asks God to be with the power crews and linemen and for power to be restored to homes quickly. Another resident drives by to pick up meals for her family, and Good reaches through the car window to hold hands and spend a moment in prayer. She prays for Good in return.

“What prayer does is allow people to feel seen and heard. Hot meals do something for the body. Prayer does something for the soul.”

People are desperate for power to be restored at their homes. Today, they are experiencing a different kind of power – the power of prayer in their lives. A simple act of kindness, just stopping for a moment to pray, makes people light up.

“You can find some food, water and ice. It’s hard to find hope. The Salvation Army brings hope.”

Salvation Army crews return to the Corps building from serving more than 1,100 meals at lunch and they immediately begin planning and preparing for what's next, ensuring they are reaching the communities that need it the most. Good’s phone rings constantly as he coordinates with government agencies and partners. Volunteers and staff – including Jannie Cheatham – clean up from lunch and take inventory of what’s on hand in preparation for the next meals.

What’s on the menu tomorrow?

For certain, it will be a warm meal for the body and hope for the soul.