ATLANTA, GA – The Salvation Army of Georgia is on the move to confront the panorama of destruction across southern areas of the Peach State after Hurricane Michael swept through earlier Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. The Salvation Army of Georgia’s Hurricane Michael Incident Management Team (IMT) is relocating their center of operations from Atlanta to Albany, GA, and closer to the most heavily impacted areas in the state.
Michael hit Georgia with the intensity of a category 3 hurricane, after slamming into the Florida panhandle just a few miles-per-hour short of being labeled a category 5 hurricane. Raging winds and heavy rains initially appeared significant and widespread, but short of catastrophic. “This is a story that is yet unfolding,” said Captain Erik Henry, Georgia Incident Management Team Commander. “We are here to help people impacted by the storm and will continually assess the best deployment of our resources to do so.”
The Salvation Army of Georgia charged fifteen canteens (mobile feeding units), along with specially disaster-trained crews, to relieve specific areas of southern Georgia most affected. Each canteen has the capacity to serve an average of 750 meals per day.
Salvation Army canteens from Albany, Augusta, Macon and Marietta, GA will be serving those affected in the greater Albany, GA area. Canteens from Bainbridge, Elberton, Newnan, and Lawrenceville, GA will focus relief efforts in the most southwestern part of the state around the city of Bainbridge.
In times of disaster, The Salvation Army traditionally serves and prepares meals from its mobile canteens, helps distribute cleaning supplies, and offers comfort to those impacted. According to Lanita Lloyd, Director of Emergency Services for The Salvation Army of Georgia, “The best way to help survivors and relief workers is to make a financial contribution,” she adds, “Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors as the situation continues to be assessed.”
How to help those impacted by Hurricane Michael
- Donate by phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
- Donate by mail: The Salvation Army, PO Box 1959, Atlanta, GA (Please designate ‘2018 Hurricanes – Michael’ on all checks.)
- Donate online: www.HelpSalvationArmy.org
- Donate by text: Text STORM to 51555 to receive a donation link for easy mobile giving
For the latest emergency disaster services news, please visit www.disaster.salvationarmymusa.org and follow the disaster services team on Twitter @SalArmyEDS.
