Toccoa Salvation Army volunteers help with hurricane relief

BY TOM LAW
THE TOCCOA RECORD
     Three volunteers from the Toccoa Service Center  of the Salvation Army have deployed to assist with feeding people affected by Hurricane Idalia in Florida and southern Georgia.
      Cheryl Cook, Gary Vance and Rebecca Dixon left last week to travel to Augusta to pick up their mobile canteen and headed to Tifton where Dixon said she thought the trio would be serving food.
     The team is expected to stay in place for two weeks.
      All team members were trained at The Toccoa Service Center.
      As South Georgia braced itself against the impact of a weakened yet still formidable Idalia, The Salvation Army of Georgia took swift action to aid affected communities.
     Idalia, a Category 2 hurricane by the time it reached South Georgia, caused widespread disruption, leaving downed trees, power lines, and a trail of damaged homes and businesses in its wake.
     Having previously struck Florida's upper west coast as a Category 3 hurricane, Idalia unleashed raging winds and heavy rains that inflicted significant damage across multiple counties in southern Georgia.
    "This is a story that continues to unfold," noted Maj. Jason Smith, Deputy Commander of the Georgia Incident Management Team.     
      "We are committed to assisting those affected by the storm and will continuously evaluate the situation to ensure the most effective deployment of our resources," he said.
    In times of disaster, The Salvation Army collaborates closely with local, state, and federal partners at Emergency Operations Centers to coordinate relief efforts.
    Even before Idalia made landfall in Georgia, The Salvation Army had proactively stationed teams on the ground, providing meals at shelters and Emergency Operation Centers across the region in anticipation of the hurricane's impact.
    The Georgia counties hit hardest by Idalia's fury include Brooks, Lowndes, Echols, Clinch, Lanier, Cook, and Berrien.            Consequently, The Salvation Army is channeling its relief resources to these areas.
     To spearhead its relief efforts, The Salvation Army of Georgia has deployed eight canteens (mobile feeding units) and specially trained disaster crews to the most affected southern Georgia counties.
     Each canteen can serve an average of 1,000 meals per day. Participating Georgia canteens hail from Augusta, Newnan, Marietta, Dalton, Gwinnett County, Elberton, and The Salvation Army's Evangeline Booth College.
     Additionally, the canteen in Valdosta will be available, and other canteens from The Salvation Army of Georgia are on standby, ready to provide assistance where and when needed.
     In a strategic move to enhance efficiency, The Salvation Army of Georgia's Hurricane Idalia Incident Management Team (IMT) will soon relocate its operational center from Tifton, to Valdosta.
    This relocation situates the IMT closer to the most heavily impacted areas in the state, enabling more effective assessment and deployment of resources.
    "We stand ready and humbled to extend relief services to our fellow Georgia residents impacted by this devastating weather event," affirmed Lanita Lloyd, Director of Emergency Disaster Services for The Salvation Army of Georgia.
    "Our commitment remains unwavering as we continue to assess and deploy Salvation Army disaster relief resources wherever and whenever needed," she said.
      The best way to support The Salvation Army’s disaster preparation and response efforts is by making a financial contribution, which allows The Salvation Army to meet immediate and long-term needs.
     During emergency disasters, 100 percent of designated gifts support specific relief efforts.
     • Visit helpsalvationarmy.org.
     • Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
     •     Or text “STORM” to 51555.
     The Salvation Army annually helps more than 30 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services.
     By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country.
     In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit www.SalvationArmyUSA.org.