• Matt Pochily

The Salvation Army of Hampton Roads Continues Response to Hurricane Irene

Hampton Roads, VA (August 29, 2011) – Salvation Army personnel throughout southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina are responding to Hurricane Irene whose winds and water left thousands without power and many in the region with property damage. Currently, The Salvation Army has 12 mobile canteens serving meals, providing material, emotional, and spiritual assistance to those affected in the region.  Thus far in Hampton Roads The Salvation Army has provided 2,345 meals, 95 clean-up kits, shelter to over 270 individuals  and prayed with 140.    

“The aftermath of Irene is certainly a lot better than was predicted,” said Major Lewis Reckline of The Salvation Army.  “But there are still a lot of communities without power and folks in need of supplies to clean their homes and someone to talk with during this time.”

Relief efforts will extend throughout the impacted region. In the short-term aftermath of the storm, Salvation Army officers and staff will continue to focus on immediate needs providing food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care to impacted individuals and families.

Salvation Army mobile feeding units are currently positioned and roving in the following areas:

-Olde Huntersville (1800 Barre St, Norfolk) serving lunch and dinner
-One roving canteens in Ocean View (Norfolk) serving lunch and dinner
-One canteen is roving the Poquoson Municipal Park serving lunch (dinner as appropriate)
-One canteen are roving the Seaford and York communities serving lunch (dinner as appropriate)
-Two canteens are roving Williamsburg serving lunch (dinner as appropriate)
-One roving canteen is serving in Sandbridge (Virginia Beach) serving lunch and dinner
-Five canteens are roving the Outer Banks of North Carolina providing meals, clean-up kits and spiritual assistance

For a real-time update on the location of mobile canteens interested parties can follow The Salvation Army of Hampton Roads on Twitter (@salarmyhr) or text IRENE to 27138 for mobile updates.

On Sunday, in the Highland Park community of Norfolk, Kathy and Greg had waited out Irene, praying and watching anxiously over their 94 year-old father’s barber shop which had seen its share of storms.  When a Salvation Army canteen was arrived in Highland Park on Sunday afternoon, Kathy and Greg thanked the Army volunteers greatly for providing the warm meals. While standing at the canteen they both noticed friends in the neighborhood coming to get food and soon The Salvation Army Unit became a meeting place for neighbors and friends to connect and find out how everyone was doing.  Over hot dogs and chips, Kathy was talking with Hans, a Salvation Army volunteer, and found they had much in common including a German heritage.  Disasters such as Irene, have a way of turning into reunions and time to catch up with neighbors.  

The best way to help survivors and relief workers is to make a financial contribution. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors.  

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Hurricane Irene to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).  Donors may also contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word STORM to 80888, and confirming the donation with the word, “Yes.”   Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301.  Please designate Hurricane 2011 on all checks.  

·    A $10 donation feeds a disaster survivor for one day
·    A $30 donation provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies
·    A $100 donation can serve snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a disaster
·    A $250 donation can provide one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24 hours
·    A $500 donation keeps a Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day

At this point, in-kind donations are not being accepted.  Used clothing and used furniture are seldom required during an incident.  However, these gifts are vitally important in supporting the day-to-day work of your local Salvation Army. Please consider giving these items to your local Salvation Army Family Store or dial 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).

For the latest emergency disaster services news, please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org and follow the EDS team on Twitter @SalArmyEDS.  Interested parties may also visit SalArmyHR.org, facebook.com/salarmyhr, and follow twitter.com/salarmyhr.  Interested parties can also text IRENE to 27138 to receive canteen updates.


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