"Our House Is Gone"
Imagine for a minute you and your family have just survived an F-4 tornado. There is devastation everywhere. The tornado has leveled your house. The brute force of the wind has lifted the family car off the ground and parked it in an oak tree, two blocks away. Chaos is your new normal.
Whether they’re natural or man-made, disasters are often brutal. Homes are destroyed; personal property and family keepsakes are lost forever. More often than not, survivors are left to deal with the devastation on their own.
Fortunately, The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services is often the first on the scene meeting physical, financial, emotional and spiritual needs. Whether it’s a hot meal, a shoulder to cry on or simply lending a listening ear, we’re there – ready, willing and able to provide hope when there seems to be none.
While our mobile kitchens or ‘canteens’ are often known for serving the immediate needs of survivors, we’re also a familiar sight to first responders, fire and police departments. They know that The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services are many times the first to arrive and last to leave disaster sites. We provide hot meals, hydration and a word of encouragement to those serving on the front lines during relief efforts.
The Salvation Army also works closely with emergency management organizations at the local, state and national levels by forming efficient teams to deal with the difficult task of rebuilding lives. Every year, millions of volunteers across the country come forward during disasters to donate their time and effort where it’s needed most.