Major Salvation Army Relief Effort Still Underway Following Hurricane Irene

Alexandria, VA (August 30, 2011) – With the remnants of Hurricane Irene now out at sea, The Salvation Army is continuing response efforts to help millions who are still without power and thousands dealing with major inland flooding. Areas throughout the Northeast including New Jersey, New York and Vermont are still facing significant flood events and evacuations. Meanwhile, crews in the Outerbanks of North Carolina have deployed to feed more than 2,400 people stranded on the barrier islands with food, water and other immediate needs.

“While we are grateful that some of the more dire predictions about Hurricane Irene did not materialize, I don’t want to downplay the continued serious need we’re seeing,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations Secretary for The Salvation Army in the United States. “A lot of these communities will take months or even years to recover – and we’re committed to being there with them throughout.”

Salvation Army resources, including some 70 mobile canteen units each able to serve more than 1,500 meals per day, are on the move throughout the southeast and northeast, responding to calls from federal, state and local agencies requesting assistance.  This work ranges from feeding at shelters to providing drinking water at nursing homes to handing out pillows and blankets to National Guard troops.  A sampling of the response so far:

• A Salvation Army canteen able to serve more than 500 people moved into the flood-stricken town of Ludlow, VT to provide meals for emergency workers and survivors.
• At Stewart Air Force Base in Newburgh, New York, The Salvation Army handed out blankets, pillows and sheets to National Guard troops deployed to help with the response.
• The Salvation Army has already served some 15,000 meals to first responders and evacuees in New Jersey.
• Three canteens have served nearly 2,000 meals and snacks as well as cleanup kits throughout the Philadelphia and Delaware region.
• The Salvation Army in New York City has secured 1,000 clean-up kits for deployment to the Mid-Hudson region.
• The Salvation Army is serving meals and delivering clean-up kits to hundreds of people in Greenfield, MA and other flooded towns in the western part of the state.
• In the southern United States – from the Carolinas to Maryland The Salvation Army has served more than 60,000 meals, snacks and drinks and handed out hundreds of clean-up kits.

The most critical need right now is for monetary donations, which can be made online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY or by texting the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your mobile phone.* For more information on The Salvation Army’s preparation and response to Hurricane Irene, please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org, www.twitter.com/SalArmyEDS, http://blog.salvationarmyusa.org/, www.facebook.com/salvationarmyusa or www.twitter.com/salvationarmyus.