The Salvation Army Preparing for National Response to Winter Storm Landon
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Salvation Army is providing a wide variety of essential services for those exposed to freezing temperatures, snow, and power outages across the country as Landon threatens over 1 million Americans spread over 2,000 miles from New Mexico to the Northeast. This comes almost a year after The Salvation Army responded in Texas to an unusually powerful polar vortex that caused over 250 deaths and nearly $2 billion in damages.
"Across the country, we are preparing to take in those without shelter, offer a hand to those at risk of losing heat, deliver food to those in need of a meal, and offer a listening ear to those in need of emotional and spiritual care," said The Salvation Army's National Commander, Commissioner Kenneth Hodder. "Whenever disasters or emergencies occur, help must come from all reaches of society to ensure impacted communities recover. Thanks to a generous public, we will be able to continue serving the most vulnerable for as long as needed."
With 7,000 centers of operation already serving in every ZIP code across the U.S., the organization is able to quickly ramp up winter services and provide shelter, food, clothing, and emotional and spiritual care to the most vulnerable.
The Salvation Army has activated cold weather services across the country:
- More than 30 warming centers have been opened across Illinois, Missouri, and Michigan to provide hot meals and a place to sleep for those who are living on the street.
- Additionally, The Salvation Army is picking up those in need of shelter and locating shelters for them.
- In Chicago, The Salvation Army Mobile Feeding Unit makes 31 stops in neighborhoods and encampments each day, providing hearty soups and beverages to those in need of a warm meal.
- The Salvation Army also provides wellness checks for seniors to ensure that they have heat and rent. They also provide utility assistance to help people stay in their homes.
- In New York, The Salvation Army's Spring Valley/Suffern Temple Corps Community Centers have been opening their gymnasium for emergency shelter during cold weather evenings since Jan. 11, 2022, and are providing warm meals, entertainment, and spiritual counseling.
- The Salvation Army has also activated a mobile outreach operation to identify and assist individuals in need of shelter.
- In Cape Cod, The Salvation Army has been providing food, water, and shelter to those experiencing homelessness who could suffer from the extreme cold.
- The Salvation Army of North Texas is opening warming centers in Garland, Lewisville, McKinney, Plano, Arlington, and other communities to provide shelter, meals, water, and hot drinks.
- Other shelters across the region continue to operate with staff on-site 24 hours per day and are preparing to be at capacity with clients while getting snowed in by Landon.
A digital media kit with photos and other visual assets can be found here.
The Salvation Army has adapted services in light of the pandemic to include extra precautions, such as social distancing at food distribution sites, innovative feeding models, and personal protective equipment requirements everywhere.
Since March 2020, The Salvation Army has provided more than 300 million meals and hundreds of millions of dollars in utility, rent, and mortgage assistance to America's most vulnerable.
For more information on how The Salvation Army helps Hope March On, visit salvationarmyusa.org.
About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army annually helps more than 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at over 7,000 centers of operation around the country. In 2021, The Salvation Army was ranked No. 2 on the list of 'America's Favorite Charities' by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.
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SOURCE The Salvation Army
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