• Cynthia Fuller

Salvation Army Provides Meals to Allow Power Workers to Stay on the Lines in Arkansas

Jonesboro, Arkansas (December 12, 2021) – Officers and volunteers from The Salvation Army of Jonesboro, Arkansas as well as members of an Incident Command Team from the Arkansas-Oklahoma division continue to serve first responders and survivors of a deadly storm system that crossed Northeast Arkansas on Friday evening.  Hundreds of homes have been damaged or destroyed and thousands left without power as the path of the storm crossed multiple state lines, broadening its path of destruction.

Rapid Response units are serving in the hardest hit areas: Leachville, Monette, Truman, and other communities.  Between Saturday and Sunday, 665 meals, 952 drinks, and 1,578 snacks have been provided.  

The Salvation Army often fills in a void during times of disaster at the last minute.  On Sunday, The Salvation Army was contacted by the Leachville, Arkansas Fire Chief for assistance. There were many linemen working in the area without access to food for lunch and dinner. The Salvation Army worked to provide hot meals for the crews. By working with the Fire Chief and Entergy, the linemen were able to continue to work on restoring power to the thousands affected by the storm. The service will continue through at least Monday. 

“Entergy and The Salvation Army oftentimes work hand in hand when it comes to helping people recover from disasters. The work they do to help victims, as well as the communities and local organizations, is invaluable. We're fortunate to have a partner like The Salvation Army during such events as we take care of our primary responsibility to restore power. When we say, 'We Power Life,' this is a good example." – Whitney Rial, Customer Service Manager Entergy Arkansas.

Financial donations can be made at www.helpsalvationarmy.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY to support response efforts. For the latest Salvation Army disaster information please go to www.disaster.salvationarmy.org and watch for regular updates on our social media pages at www.facebook.com/salvationarmyaok/ and www.twitter.com/salarmyeds and www.twitter.com/salarmyedsaok.