• Captain Mechelle Henry

Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Collier County

Naples, FL (September 29, 2017) -  When you drive through the large neighborhood of Southwind Village (mobile home park) in Naples, FL., you can still see the devastation from Hurricane Irma; boarded up windows, tarps over roofs, walls torn down, twisted medal left from carports, destroyed furniture and debris of all sorts lining the roads.  “This is just one neighborhood still feeling the after-shock of the storm and slowly recovering,” said Major Dan Proctor, Naples Regional Coordinator.  “It breaks my heart to see these families with nothing in their homes.   This is just the start of the long-term recovery for so many in our community.”

Every day, The Salvation Army sends out a group of Salvation Army Officers who are visiting neighborhoods providing emotional and spiritual care, food, water, cleaning and hygiene kits.  “While talking with some of the people in this trailer park, we heard stories about loved ones who have passed away during and after the storm, loss of pets, neighbors helping neighbors move debris and coming together to support one another,” said Lt. Christopher White, Salvation Army Officer from Justin, Missouri.  “Some people just need a hug and a prayer and reassurance that everything will be alright.”

The Salvation Army is meeting the additional needs, such as Infant supply boxes and pet supplies/food.  Other partnerships, such as SNIP Collier (www.snipcollier.com), an organization that provides spay & neuter services to the most impoverished communities in Collier County Florida, is delivering dog food to several families in the community.   Jill Delie, a staff member and donors for SNIP Collier has been delivering dog food in the Southwind Village for some time.  “We know several residents with dogs and we want to make sure they get the pet supplies needed at this time.  There are several dogs in this community and for us to drop off a bag of dog food gives these families the chance to use their monies on immediate needs for their families,” said Delie.   

The Salvation Army continues to support people with immediate needs while bringing awareness of after storm issues including one critical subject – Human Trafficking.   Salvation Army Officers are handing out flyers in English and Spanish which emphasizes that rebuilding and cleanup create new markets for cheap or free labor and disaster survivors may lose their main source of income and look for new types of work, including commercial sex.  As a disaster responder and/or a healthcare provider, the likelihood that you will come in contact with a human trafficking victim is very high! Remember that anyone can be trafficked—men and boys, women and girls.  Flyer attached: https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/planning/abc/Documents/human-trafficking-infographic.pdf

For more information on how you can help your neighbor, contact your local Salvation Army in your area and/or donations can be made:

Online:  helpsalvationarmy.org

By Phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY

To give by text:  Text STORM to 51555.

 

As of Thursday, September 28, The Salvation Army in Naples has prepared and distributed 268,556 meals, snacks and drinks; made 4,446 emotional and spiritual care contacts with the support of 49,545 service hours from officers, employees, and volunteers.