The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County Responds to the Deadly Tornado in Oklahoma
West Palm Beach, FL (May 21, 2013) – Salvation Army personnel throughout Oklahoma are responding to the devastation left by Monday’s tornado. Currently, The Salvation Army of Palm Beach County has one local officer that has been called to active duty to provide emotional and spiritual care.
Captain Chris Farrell, Corps Officer in Lake Worth, FL was called to active duty this afternoon and will be en route to Moore, OK Wednesday morning. Captain Farrell expects to be in Oklahoma for two weeks where he will attend to the emotional and pastoral needs of disaster workers and survivors. “Often individuals affected by overwhelming events like this need someone to listen to them and as ministers of The Salvation Army, this is one of the best things we can do to help them out at this time,” says Captain Farrell.
Relief efforts will extend throughout the impacted region. In the short-term aftermath of the tornado, Salvation Army officers and staff will focus primarily on immediate needs providing food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care to impacted individuals and families.
Canteens (mobile feeding units) involved in the current response from Oklahoma include Central Oklahoma Area Command (Oklahoma City), Ardmore, Enid, Lawton, McAlester and Muskogee. Also, initial disaster response teams from Pine Bluff, Jonesboro and Hot Springs, Arkansas to assist in response.
The best way to help survivors and relief workers is to make a financial contribution. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Oklahoma Tornado to visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Donors may also contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word STORM to 80888, and confirming the donation with the word, “Yes.” Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, PO BOX 12600, Oklahoma City, OK 73157. Please designate Oklahoma Tornado on all checks.
* 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
At this point, in-kind donations are not being accepted. Used clothing and used furniture are seldom required during an incident. However, these gifts are vitally important in supporting the day-to-day work of your local Salvation Army. Please consider giving these items to your local Salvation Army Family Store or dial 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).
For the latest emergency disaster services news, please visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org and follow the EDS team on Twitter @SalArmyEDS. Interested parties may also visit www.salvationarmypalmbeachcounty.org, and follow www.Facebook.com/SalArmyPBCo
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.