The Salvation Army USA (Southern Territory)

Salvation Army Week Celebrated With Gift From FedEx

J_Massey — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:21:10 +0000

Carnegie, PA (May 13, 2013) – On Wednesday, May 15th, in celebration of the 60th National Salvation Army Week, FedEx is donating a custom $100,000 Disaster Response Unit (DRU) to The Salvation Army, the first vehicle of its kind to be used in Western Pennsylvania. The new DRU will help Salvation Army workers and volunteers better serve the community by providing meals to needy and displaced residents during and after natural disasters. This vehicle is the 17th unit that FedEx has donated to The Salvation Army global fleet, representing more than $1.7 million dollars in corporate contributions. To commemorate this special occasion, the DRU will demonstrate its capabilities for the first time at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, which is known for its expertise in disaster response. Personnel from the 911th Airlift Wing, 171st Air Refueling Wing, 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) will be on hand to participate in this inaugural event.

“Both FedEx and the military have been our faithful supporters in disaster relief,” said Major William Bode, The Salvation Army’s Western Pennsylvania Divisional Commander. “We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate this special day.”

The DRU is outfitted with the latest equipment and technology to assist disaster response personnel in helping community members before, during and after emergencies such as fires, earthquakes, floods or other weather-related disasters. The custom-designed and built unit features a fully functional kitchen where workers and volunteers can prepare meals to feed approximately 2,500 people per day.

“At FedEx, we are passionate about helping people prepare for the unexpected and are known for making critical deliveries when and where it counts,” said Rose Flenorl , manager, Social Responsibility, FedEx Services. “Through the donation of this new Disaster Response Unit, we hope to help The Salvation Army continue to deliver much needed food and aid to Western Pennsylvania residents in their times of need.”

The very first National Salvation Army Week was declared by President Dwight D. Eisenhower between November 18 and December 4, 1954 as a reminder to Americans that they should give freely of themselves proclaiming, “Among Americans, The Salvation Army has long been a symbol of wholehearted dedication to the cause of brotherhood. In time of war, the men and women of this organization have brought to those serving their country far from home, friendliness and warm concern. In the quieter days of peace, their work has been a constant reminder to us all that each of us is neighbor and kin to all Americans, giving freely of themselves, the men and women of The Salvation Army have won the respect of all.”

About FedEx

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $44 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.

About The Salvation Army

Both a church and a social service organization, The Salvation Army began in London, England in 1865. Today, it provides critical services in 126 countries worldwide. The 28-county Western Pennsylvania Division serves thousands of needy families through a wide variety of support services. To learn more about The Salvation Army in Western Pennsylvania, log onto www.salvationarmy-wpa.org, twitter.com/SalArmyPGH or facebook.com/SalvationArmyWesternPA. The Salvation Army … doing the most good . . . for the most people . . . in the most need.

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The Salvation Army Serving at Search and Rescue in Woodville, Miss

J_Massey — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:54:58 +0000

May 16, 2013 - 11:54 AM EDT
Mark Jones
Mark_Jones@uss.salvationarmy.org
(601) 961-7709

McComb, Miss (May 16, 2013) Advisory Board Members and Staff from The Salvation Army of McComb, Miss has responded to a request from first responders in Woodville, Miss. to provide snacks, hydration, and hot meals at the scene of a search for missing swimmer.

A Salvation Army feeding unit and team will be available to first responders, media, and family members providing hydration, snacks, and meals throughout the day and evening.

“The public has trusted The Salvaiton Army with the resources to provide support to communites in need at their point of need,” stated Thad Hicks of Divisional Director of Disaster Services for The Salvation Army. “The Salvation Army been requested to support the operation until the search and rescue has concluded.”

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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 83 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

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The Salvation Army Continues Disaster Relief Services Following Dallas Area Tornadoes

J_Massey — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:08:15 +0000

May 16, 2013 - 11:08 AM EDT
Philip Burn
philip_burn@uss.salvationarmy.org
(214) 956-6243

DALLAS, TX (May 16, 2013) -- The Salvation Army went into urgent action last night with volunteer disaster teams on site in Hood County to provide services in the wake of the devastating tornadoes. Three disaster canteens (mobile kitchens) from the Dallas Fort Worth area were deployed and have been providing refreshment, hydration and spiritual and emotional care to survivors and first responders.

Today, the organization has ramped up its services. A mobile disaster kitchen from Dallas will serve first responders at the Incident Command Center in Granbury. We expect to continue this service for at least three days or longer, to be determined by the local Emergency Management Office. A second mobile disaster kitchen has been in place at the Emergency Operations Center in Cleburne located at 810 Kilpatrick Street. The local Emergency Manager requested that this unit move to the Cleburne Conference Center, 1501 Henderson Street, at 10:00 AM to serve meals for up to 125 people today. This service may continue until 7:00 PM or longer if needed.

Mobile disaster kitchens from Plano, Williamson County, and Waco are on standby for service in Granbury and Cleburne. At this time, additional units may not be deployed until residents are allowed back into the disaster area. Many residents will remain evacuated while emergency crews work to restore power and remove debris from the worst affected communities. Once residents return to their homes, it is anticipated that The Salvation Army will begin distributing household cleaning kits to help people with the emotionally draining process of clean up and recovery.

Financial donations can be made in the following ways to support The Salvation Army’s response to the North Texas tornadoes:
• MAIL – please send checks to The Salvation Army, PO Box 36607, Dallas, TX 75235
• PHONE at 1-800-SAL-ARMY
• ONLINE at www.salvationarmytexas.org

For more information about The Salvation Army’s disaster response effort, please go to www.Facebook.com/SalvationArmyTexas, www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org, or www.salvationarmytexas.org.

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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.

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The Salvation Army Responding to Dallas Area Tornados

J_Massey — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:02:17 +0000

Dallas, TX (May 15, 2013) – The Salvation Army quickly responded in the North Texas communities of Granbury and Cleburne after tornados caused significant damage and injuries late on Wednesday evening.

Three Salvation Army Disaster Canteens (mobile kitchens) have been deployed from the Dallas Fort Worth area and two additional units have been placed on stand-by. The Salvation Army Disaster teams are providing refreshment and spiritual and emotional support to the first responders and residents affected by the storms.

Further updated information will follow as it released.

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Home Run Derby

J_Massey — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:46:40 +0000

Dallas Cowboys DL Jason Hatcher holds up the winners trophy after winning the competition.

Dallas Cowboys players hit home runs for The Salvation Army during Reliant Energy’s Home Run Derby at Rangers Ballpark.

With each home run worth $1,000 (and each final pitch worth $2,000), the players’ efforts helped earn The Salvation Army $43,000!

Thank you to the Dallas Cowboys, Reliant Energy, and the Texas Rangers for coming together for this event!

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Salvation Army Continues To Provide Assistance to Fire Victims in Lewiston, Maine

J_Massey — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:11:51 +0000

May 09, 2013 - 1:57 PM EDT
Patricia James
Patricia.James@use.salvationarmy.org
(207) 774-6304

LEWISTON, Maine - The Salvation Army facility at 67 Park Street is open to assist families and individuals who were affected by the fires that destroyed 79 apartments leaving almost 180 people homeless. The assistance office is open Monday - Friday 9am to 2pm, and is staffed with volunteers ready to provide non-perishable food and household items to those in need.

Three major apartment building fires all within a week struck downtown Lewiston and the Salvation Army Emergency Canteen was at the scene providing meals and beverages to firefighters and the displaced residents. To date, Over 400 meals and 1000 snacks have been provided, plus 2000 beverages such as coffee, water and Gatorade.

Lieutenant Jason Brake, commanding officer in Lewiston, "We will now provide help at our facility on Park Street. The community has responded very generously to our request for nonperishable items such as diapers, peanut butter, cereal, pasta, can goods and more," stated Lt. Brake.

The Salvation Army continues to collect nonperishable items for fire victims at their facility at 67 Park Street. Also, monetary donations are being accepted, The Salvation Army's "Lewiston Fires" P.O. Box 178, Lewiston, ME 04243.

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Relief Effort Continues After Lewiston, Maine, Fire

J_Massey — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:15:45 +0000

May 07, 2013 – 11:15 AM EDT
Patricia James
Patricia_James@use.salvationarmy.org
(207) 774-6304

Lewiston, Maine (May 7, 2013) — Fire investigators and residents were busy sorting through rubble Thursday after a fire heavily damaged three apartment buildings and left ten people homeless in Lewiston Wednesday night.

The American Red Cross and Salvation Army have been assisting residents helping them find temporary shelter and food. Tenants could be seen boarding up windows and removing damaged items from their apartments Thursday afternoon as the cleanup effort continued.

Salvation Army Lt. Jason Brake says while many residents have already found short term help, the focus now becomes getting tenants permanently back on their feet.

“When these things happen, people have a lot of things to put back together,” Brake said. “We always say if someone has extra things that you don’t need, we will take those. We sort through them, and we make sure those who need them get those items. We take monetary donations, clothing donations and furniture donations, and we make sure they get to those who are in need.”

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.

For more information about the Red Cross & Salvation Army relief effort contact them at:
American Red Cross, 1180 Lisbon St. Lewiston, 207-795-4004
Salvation Army, 67 Park St. Lewiston, 207-783-0801

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The Salvation Army Expands Support of Search and Rescue in North Mississippi

J_Massey — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:19:31 +0000

Oxford, Miss (May 2, 2013) For the second day in a row, The Salvation Army in Oxford, Miss. is supporting first responders in the search for a missing teenage boy. Missing since Monday, efforts have intensified as law enforcement deployed dive teams in support of the search.

Salvation Army volunteers and staff from Oxford and Tupelo have responded today with a Mobile Feeding Unit stocked to serve hot meals, snacks, and drinks to first responders, volunteers and family holding out hope for a happy conclusion.

Salvation Army personnel will remain vigilant in service until there is a conclusion to the search and rescue.

“We can only imagine the grief that this family is experiencing holding out hope that their loved one will be found safe,” stated Lisa Coleman of The Salvation Army in Oxford. “Our prayers for the family and rescue workers undergird our physical support of the rescue.”

All Salvation Army disaster assistance is free and made possible by generous donations of time and money. You can support the response by making a donation to the Salvation Army’s Disaster Relief Program. To make contributions, donate online at www.salvationarmyalm.org, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or text the word STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation. Contributions may also be sent to any Salvation Army Office.

Mark Jones
mark_jones@uss.salvationarmy.org
(601) 961-7709

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Gene And Jerry Jones Charities Donate $100K to Help West

J_Massey — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:30:36 +0000

The Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities will make a $100,000 donation to The Salvation Army to assist with the charity’s disaster relief efforts in West, Texas.

The close-knit Texas community was devastated by a fertilizer plant explosion last week that killed 15 citizens, including 10 first responders, and injured more than 160 people.

“The community of West, Texas, has suffered a tremendous loss through this tragedy,” said Charlotte Jones Anderson, president of charities for the Dallas Cowboys, in a news release. “But they have also shown their strength and resilience in beginning the healing process as well. We hope that others will join us in supporting the efforts of The Salvation Army as the focus turns to providing the resources necessary to help the great people of West rebuild.”

Salvation Army personnel collected financial donations from fans wishing to join the outreach effort at the team’s annual NFL Draft Party at Cowboys Stadium on Thursday, April 25. By midnight on the night of the incident, The Salvation Army had mobilized support teams and deployed five Emergency Disaster Canteens (mobile kitchens) to the West area.

The massive blast from the explosion measured 2.1 on the Richter scale and was felt as far as 80 miles away in Dallas. More than 75 homes and businesses were destroyed, including a 50 unit apartment complex and a nursing home facility.

Monetary donations to the city and citizens of West allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of the disaster survivors.

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Mobile AL Salvation Army Serving After Barge Explosions

J_Massey — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:26:36 +0000

Mobile, AL (April 25, 2013) – The Salvation Army of Coastal Alabama is currently serving evacuees and crews in response to the barge explosions on Mobile River. The Mobile County EMA requested our canteen to assist in the accommodations of those being affected by the incident.

As of 2am, The Salvation Army canteen (mobile kitchen) is on scene, in the parking lot of the Mobile Civic Center, where the evacuees have been staged. It is estimated there are about 800 people currently being housed at the Civic Center – many of which are crew members of the Carnival Triumph.

The Salvation Army is serving sausage biscuits, coffee/hot chocolate, water, snacks, etc. – hoping to make the crews feel as comfortable as possible during these early morning hours.

We will remain on the scene as long as we are needed. For the latest updates throughout the morning, please follow our Twitter page @SalArmyCoastal.

Media is welcome to stop by the canteen for food and refreshments as well. Those wishing to get video/photos or set up interviews are welcome to stop by the canteen or call Katie Emer on her cell phone at 251-767-3625.

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