It’s a calling: The Salvation Army Provides Hurricane Ida Relief Along Gulf Coast
Hurricane Ida made landfall on Sunday, Aug. 29 as a category 4 hurricane and brought with it sustained winds, torrential rain, and dangerous storm surge to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and additional communities along the Gulf Coast.
The death toll is continuing to rise, millions of Americans are still without power, and a shortage of food and water has left multitudes in need of immediate assistance.
As people in Louisiana continue to recover from the damage left behind, The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster teams in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi are on the front lines with a massive operation to meet immediate need through feeding, sheltering, emotional and spiritual care, and other services for survivors and first responders.
RELATED: How to help victims of natural disasters
On Tuesday, volunteers left the Salvation Army warehouse in Jackson, Mississippi, with trucks full of supplies to help people in Louisiana. More than a million people in the state are without power, and it could take weeks before it’s restored.
William Trueblood, Emergency Disaster Services Director for The Salvation Army in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi Division, said on Tuesday that they plan to feed about 30,000 to 40,000 people a day for the next eight weeks. He says the work is a calling by a higher power.
“It’s very important for us in the Salvation Army; we view it as a mission from God to be able to go out there and to help these people,” Trueblood said. “It’s a calling for us; it’s not just a job. And so for us when we get the opportunity to go we don’t like the fact that we have to go, but we love the fact that we get to be there and help others.”
Trueblood said he anticipates about a two-month footprint in the area. “We also anticipate that we’ll have to extend that stay a little bit longer, depending on how long it takes to get the power back on. and how long it takes to make sure that people are fed. We hate the fact that we have to go, but we love the fact that we get to be there,” he added.
As of Sept. 2, The Salvation Army has provided: 29,352 meals, 21,361 drinks, 12,020 snacks, and emotional and spiritual care to 965 people. The Salvation Army currently has 133 disaster workers assigned to Hurricane Ida relief, who have already given over 4,622 hours of service.
The Salvation Army EDS staff and volunteers are constantly ready to respond, often with very little notice, to provide support and assistance during times of disaster. Through the help of a gift of $750,000 from the Walmart Foundation, The Salvation Army will be further quipped to tackle the daunting task of providing meals to hundreds of thousands of individuals displaced and impacted by Hurricane Ida.
Their network of trained disaster staff and volunteers are on the ground in Louisiana and surrounding states. With more than 7,600 centers of operation across the country, The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to mobilize and serve communities before, during, and after a disaster strikes.
To support Hurricane Ida relief efforts, please go to helpsalvationarmy.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. The Salvation Army uses 100% of all disaster donations to support disaster relief.
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