26

MAR

  • Donald Felice

The Salvation Army Georgia Division Responding to Coweta and Polk County Tornadoes

ATLANTA, GA (March 26, 2021) – The Salvation Army Georgia Division is responding to communities affected by storms following Thursday night’s destructive tornadoes. Two tornadoes touched down in Georgia after midnight Thursday, causing significant damage, including downed trees and power lines.

In Newnan, Georgia, where upwards of 25,000 people are without power, The Salvation Army is delivering water, clean-up kits, hygiene kits, and storage bins to the hardest-hit areas and will begin serving meals to first responders Friday evening. Salvation Army staff and volunteers are standing by and ready to begin mass feedings of affected communities if and when requested. The Newnan Salvation Army is equipped with a Rapid-Response Unit that enables The Salvation Army to respond those areas most impacted by disasters quickly and effectively.

In the area around Cedartown, Georgia, including Bartow and Floyd counties, flooding has been reported and schools have been closed. In response, The Salvation Army is providing lunch for first responders and other disaster workers and distributing tarps.

“We continue to fully and carefully review and evaluate the situation,” says Lanita Lloyd, Director of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army of Georgia Division, “Once we see exactly how these storms have impacted Georgia, we will deploy our resources as needed to help those in the most severely affected areas.”

When disaster strikes, one of the first signs that help is on the way is often the arrival of a Salvation Army mobile feeding unit. These “kitchens-on-wheels”, or canteens, provide meals, snacks and drinks to survivors and first responders. Each of these vehicles is capable of serving 800 people per meal. The Salvation Army Georgia Division has a total of 24 canteens strategically placed across the state available for disaster responses. Four of these canteens are on standby ready to respond to areas affected by the current storms.

In times of disaster, The Salvation Army is a trusted responder. With the generous support of communities, The Salvation Army can meet immediate needs during disaster responses. The best way to help relief workers and those impacted by the recent Georgia storms is to make a financial contribution. Financial contributions allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of those impacted.

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