Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast of the United States as a strong Category 3 storm on August 29, 2005. The storm proved to be one of the costliest and most deadly in U.S. history. Huge sections of coastline in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi were utterly devastated and approximately 1,600 individuals died as a result of the storm. In the largest disaster response mobilization in the organization?s history, The Salvation Army worked to meet the immediate needs of survivors following Katrina and other storms during the unusually active 2005 hurricane season.
The Army continues to serve individuals and families affected by Katrina by coordinating long-term clean-up and restoration efforts, providing financial and social service support to hurricane survivors and offering spiritual and emotional care to those impacted by the disaster. While the majority of this effort remains along the Gulf Coast, this is truly a nationwide endeavor. $68 million of the $365 million money donated to The Salvation Army for Hurricane Katrina response is being used to help Katrina survivors who have relocated ? particularly in Texas and the surrounding states of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Florida. But even outside these areas, the Army has been actively assisting Katrina evacuees.
Highlights:
- In the immediate aftermath of the storm, The Salvation Army was providing direct aid to survivors in more than 30 states nationwide.
- To date, The Salvation Army has registered and begun assisting with more than 280,000 social service cases throughout the country.
- In Kansas City, MO The Salvation Army is the only nonprofit agency providing long-term case assistance to the survivors still in the area. They are committed to continue assisting over 300 relocated families with practical needs through October 2007.
- For more information please contact Elizabeth Bejan at (816) 285-2793
- In Omaha, NE last fall, The Salvation Army participated in a program entitled ?This is How We Do It,? a seminar event to help prepare Katrina evacuees for the colder winters in the Central United States.
- For more information please contact Diana Jacobson at ( 402) 898-5860
About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 31 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. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org.
For more information contact The Salvation Army at 703-519-5890.