Disaster Relief
Offering immediate and long-term wildfire, flood, tornado, and hurricane relief to communities affected by natural disasters.
How We Serve
Emergency Preparedness
Our experience covers decades as one of the foremost Disaster Relief organizations in leading recovery efforts – since the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, our trained staff and volunteers have served survivors and first responders of every major disaster.
We know effective disaster relief and recovery efforts start before a disaster strikes, and a good plan is key to long-term recovery success. Our disaster-preparedness training program, like this one in our Central Territory, gets individuals and communities ready for emergencies.
In addition, we also have a disaster preparedness handbook available.
Immediate Disaster Relief and Emergency Responses
Disasters and emergencies strike without much warning, but you can count on The Salvation Army, one of the nation’s leading disaster relief organizations, to be on the spot, providing relief to communities within hours, because we’re already there with a comprehensive emergency response plan.
We work with local organizations and federal authorities. We mobilize to provide people with food, water, and emergency shelter. We provide mobile showers, bottled water, and a clean blanket to anyone in need. We turn our properties into sites of refuge when needed. And we deliver emotional and spiritual care that first responders and survivors' desire.
When Hurricane Harvey brought $125 billion in devastation to the Texas Gulf Coast region, we executed one of the largest disaster-relief operations in our history, demonstrating our robust emergency response plan. The Salvation Army deployed 96 mobile feeding units; served more than 2.8 million meals, drinks, and snacks; and provided more than 400,000 hours (about 45 and a half years) of staff and volunteer service.
Emotional and Spiritual Care
Some effects of disasters are unseen, as many survivors and first responders suffer emotional stress and trauma. The Salvation Army delivers the vital emotional and spiritual care they need.
Whether it calls for a hug and a prayer, or a compassionate ear, The Salvation Army is ready to help.
Read the story of how one family reached out to The Salvation Army’s specially trained emotional and spiritual care providers to navigate life after Hurricane Irma.
Long-Term Relief and Disaster Recovery
The Salvation Army provides long-term disaster relief and recovery efforts for as long as we are able. In some cases, this means we continue to help for months, even years, after a disaster. We work with local, state, and federal governments to form a long-term disaster recovery plan.
The plan is far-reaching and meets basic needs. It addresses restoration and rebuilding projects. It includes the dispersal of emergency financial assistance programs and donated goods. All to help survivors rebuild their lives.
When our initial response to Hurricane Katrina ended, we allocated $225 million, donated by the American public for Hurricane Katrina response, to provide long-term disaster recovery, including case management, reconstruction, and support for volunteer rebuild teams. Financial assistance programs also helped with home repair assistance, job training for disaster survivors, and other initiatives to aid long-term recovery in communities.
- Partner with Habitat for Humanity provided funds to support the construction and rehabilitation of more than 400 homes and sponsored the 2008 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.
- Help more than 5,000 people who became unemployed as a result of the hurricanes receive job training and re-employment services, in cooperation with partner organizations.
- A new Emergency Disaster Services center in Jackson, MS, featuring an emergency operations center, 17,000 square feet of warehouse space, a state-of-the-art amateur radio station, and a vehicle yard for a fleet of specialized disaster equipment and vehicles.
- A 52,000-square-foot Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Biloxi, MS, to replace Salvation Army facilities lost during Hurricane Katrina, built on the site of one of the volunteer villages that The Salvation Army operated for Katrina aid workers.
Current National and International Disaster Efforts
Support recovery efforts for these large-scale disasters. Learn more about how we support disaster recovery efforts.
Across our nation, The Salvation Army is there to lend a hand.
No matter where disaster strikes, The Salvation Army is already there with a comprehensive emergency response plan. As one of the most well-known disaster relief organizations in the country, The Salvation Army is ready with immediate response and recovery plans unique to the community affected. Plans forged from decades of recovery efforts and learnings from across the world. We serve in nearly every community in the United States long before a disaster happens. We’re among the first on the spot, providing wildfire, flood, tornado, or hurricane relief, and we stay long after a catastrophe has passed.If you or someone you know has been affected by an natural disaster, find help by contacting your local Salvation Army.
Stats
600,000
survivors and first responders who receive support, hope and healing last year
4,307
disasters were responded to by The Salvation Army last year
421,145
people in the United States received disaster assistance last year
The Salvation Army fights natural disasters with acts of God.
When natural disasters strike, The Salvation Army disaster relief team provides immediate assistance and help with long-term recovery. Your donation helps provide essential services to survivors and first responders.
Other Services
