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Released 12 February 2013
In
the months since
Hurricane Sandy slammed into the northeastern coast, The Salvation Army has helped thousands of those affected by
the storm. During the initial response,
The Salvation Army rushed essential services to people affected within a few
hours of the storm’s passing. In coordination with volunteer and other
partner
organizations, The Salvation Army has provided more than 4.6 million meals,
snacks and drinks to thousands of people who sustained tragic loss, as well as
for first responders and work crews.
Overall, The Salvation Army
has provided food and water, as well as other essential items including:
blankets, batteries and flashlights, baby formula, diapers and baby wipes,
toiletries, gloves and hand warmers. In addition, 7,500 volunteers have
provided more than 24,000 hours of service from serving meals to fulfilling the
request for prayers and emotional care.
Now, The Salvation Army
is
making long range plans for rebuilding and renewal after the storm devastated
communities along the New Jersey shore line, New York City and Long Island
last fall. In December, as communities began to stabilize in New Jersey, The
Salvation Army entered a new
phase of recovery – supporting survivors and families in the transition
to returning
home. A helpline (1-888-247-0100) was established to enable access of
information and assistance to survivors finding themselves in need, some for
the first time. Hot drinks and snacks, along with emotional/spiritual care,
were provided along the Barrier Islands and throughout communities in Ocean
County
via ATVs generously donated by Polaris. A special holiday assistance
application was established for those finding it difficult to make holiday
celebrations a reality due to Hurricane Sandy. Tuckahoe Nurseries made a very
generous donation to The Salvation Army of 400 live Christmas trees for
families in impacted areas.
Most recently, an
Emergency Assistance
Center was opened in Hazlet, NJ.
Additional centers are planned to open soon. These centers will assess
client’s
needs based on standardized guidelines for aid, check for FEMA number or proof
of address that family lives in affected area. They will also provide referrals
to other agencies, large-scale distribution of in-kind donated items ranging
from
clothing to household goods, cash card financial assistance and food boxes.
Moving
toward the next stage of recovery, it is anticipated that there will be a
period of addressing long-term and unmet needs. The Salvation Army will work
via statewide and local community partners to ensure that safety nets are in
place for those continuing to struggle.
In New York, through a
partnership among The Salvation Army, NYC Restore (Mayor's office), National
Guard, NYPD and NYC Service, two million ready-to-eat meals (MREs) and 700,000
bottles of water were distributed over 12 days post-landfall in 17 locations
throughout New York City. The Salvation Army provided over 40,000 low sodium,
vegetarian and kosher meals for the evacuees housed in all eight special needs
shelters scattered throughout New York
City. The organization continues to provide clothing
and furniture vouchers, financial assistance, travel cards, emotional and
spiritual care and referral services in the NYC
Restoration Centers
and the Long Island
Disaster Assistance
Centers.
Within the impacted
zones,
Salvation Army facilities are used to assist families and individuals who may
or may not qualify for federal assistance. Services include: clothing/furniture vouchers, financial
assistance,
travel cards, emergency supplies, emotional and spiritual care as well as
information and referral services. Salvation Army facilities located in the impacted communities include
Bay Ridge (Brooklyn), Freeport, Hempstead and Blue Point (Long Island) as well
as Stapleton (Staten Island).The Salvation Army in Greater New York continues
to accept, warehouse and distribute emergency supplies for Hurricane Sandy
survivors.
Emergency supplies, new
clothing, personal
hygiene products, clean-up supplies and home furnishings are being distributed
as needed. The Salvation Army is part of the Multi-Agency Shelter Transition
Task Force led by FEMA. The program involves The Salvation Army and American
Red Cross disaster case workers who are working in teams to interview the 2,200
families that remain in shelters and transitional housing (hotels) throughout
New York City and Long Island.
The teams will ascertain the requirements necessary to relocate these families
into longer term housing. In
addition to
FEMA and American Red Cross funding, The Salvation Army will 'fill in the gaps'
to ensure that the affected families complete the next step in their recovery
plan. The Salvation Army will provide financial assistance to assist with
broker fees, security deposits, furniture, household items and basic living
expenses. The program is an interim step before federal case management is
established and it is expected to continue through February 28.
As part of the long-term
recovery, The Salvation Army of Greater New York is planning to partner with
Habitat
for Humanity International to assist impacted homeowners on Staten
Island with their ability to rebuild, repair and refurbish their
homes. In this plan, The
Salvation Army
will facilitate the disaster case management process to identify and assist
qualifying beneficiaries while Habitat for Humanity will facilitate the
construction process. Both
agencies will
collaborate to secure home furnishings and major appliances. Similar projects
are under consideration for Island Park and Mastic
Beach on Long
Island. The program will continue throughout 2013.
In addition to New
Jersey and New York,
The Salvation Army has provided assistance to storm victims in New Hampshire,
Connecticut,
Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Rhode Island,
Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina and West Virginia.
Nationally, The Salvation
Army maintains a fleet of disaster vehicles and supply warehouses across the
United States
to enable speedy mobilization. There are more than 300 emergency response
vehicles
in the eastern and southern United
States alone along with nearly 600 units
nationwide, all of which are capable of serving thousands of meals and drinks
per day when operating at full capacity. In addition to food, hydration and
emotional and spiritual care, The Salvation Army is also prepared to provide:
clean-up
kits, hygiene kits, shower units, first-aid supplies and communications
support.
The Salvation Army is
extremely gratified for the continued support of the donating public, which to
date has donated more than $20 million to support relief efforts. Monetary
donations are still the most critical need as supplies and personnel move into
the areas of greatest need. Donors are encouraged to give online at
www.SalvationArmyUSA.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY
(1-800-725-2769).
Every donation made
makes a
difference:
A $10 donation feeds a
disaster survivor for one day.
A $30 donation provides
one
food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household
cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies.
A $100 donation can serve
snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a
disaster.
A $250 donation can
provide
one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24
hours.
A $500 donation keeps a
Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day.
The Salvation Army is
one of
the nation’s largest providers of disaster service and responds to
hundreds of
disasters across the country each year. Some of the most recent disasters
include:
Hurricane Katrina (August
2005): The Salvation Army provided more than 5.6 million meals to survivors and
first responders of Hurricane Katrina, and 2.5 million people were assisted
with emergency food, casework, emotional and spiritual care.
Haitian Earthquake
(January
2010): The Salvation Army packaged and delivered more than 10 million meals to
Haiti, and more than 27,000 survivors were treated at Salvation Army medical
facilities. Additionally, The Salvation Army distributed approximately 8,000
hygiene kits.
U.S. Tornado Outbreak
(April
& May 2011): The Salvation Army served nearly one million meals and
distributed 50,000 hygiene kits, and more than 10,000 people received emotional
and spiritual care.
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 a broad 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.