Posted on 01/13/2010 9:16:54 AM PST by greyfoxx39
Alexandria, VA (January 13, 2010) - The Salvation Army is mobilizing resources and personnel to assist with the international relief effort in Haiti following a severe earthquake Tuesday that damaged much of the country's infrastructure, housing and commercial buildings.
The Salvation Army has had a presence in Haiti since 1950 and currently operates schools, clinics, a hospital, feeding programs, children's homes and church-related activities spread across two major facilities in Port au Prince, close to the epicenter of the earthquake and at other locations in the country.
One of the facilities, or compounds as it is referred to, includes a home for more than 50 children; a school with a daily attendance of 1,500 children; a medical clinic caring for 150-200 people daily; and a church that on any typical Sunday welcomes nearly 1,000 people. The facility is less than 10 minutes from the National Palace and is in an area known as St. Martin that's home to predominantly poor living in the nation's capital.
According to reports from Salvation Army staff in Port au Prince, no one in the compound was injured during the earthquake, but the children's home, the clinic and church suffered major damage. Several smaller buildings, including residences, have collapsed completely. People were sleeping in the parking lot overnight, while severe aftershocks continued to affect the country.
The second compound that houses Salvation Army administrative offices is being used as an emergency operations center; damage was slight to this compound, according to Salvation Army reports from Haiti.
The Salvation Army hospital in Fond-des-Negres (75 miles west of Port-au-Prince) reports some minor damage, but no injuries.
The Salvation Army's World Services Office, based in Alexandria, VA, has committed $50,000 to the relief effort and the organization is prepared to commit more financial resources, as well as food, water and other emergency supplies, to assist in the recovery.
The organization is preparing to send more than 44,000 lbs of pre-packaged emergency rations to the country, along with emergency disaster teams. The Salvation Army is working with other agencies to identify appropriate transportation for the food. As with all such relief efforts, The Salvation Army will be a part of the initial emergency response while assessing longer term needs of the residents.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti at this time and especially our Salvation Army officers and employees throughout the country," said Lt. Col. Dan Starrett, who directs the Salvation Army World Services Office.
The Salvation Army is accepting monetary donations to assist in the effort via, www.salvationarmyusa.org, 1-800-SAL-ARMY and postal mail at: The Salvation Army World Service Office, International Disaster Relief Fund, PO Box 630728, Baltimore, MD 21263-0728.
###
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 129 years in the United States. Nearly 30 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 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.
Meanwhile, Obummer calls for Americans to send money to WhiteHouse.gov to help...yeah, like how much money would really get to Haiti if it is funnelled through the Chicago Mob group in Washington....NO THANKS! Salvation Army is a proven helper to those in need WITHOUT ANY POLITICAL AGENDA.
The time has come to adopt more Haitians for a time until they can rebuild.
As always the Salvation Army is there........in His name, no discrimination.
The SA has had an ongoing humanitarian presence there since 1950.
I am not affiliated with the SA but I do greatly admire their efforts to aid "the least of these".
The SA does great humanitarian work, no discrimination, no membership requirements, no having to WORK for CHARITY.
They are a good example of Christian charity.
Thank you for that posting. Along with being very detailed and accurate about the Army’s work, it makes it clear that it is also an Evangelical church. As one of those laymen and women, who makes the Army my church home, I have the opportunity to provide not just regular financial support but also practical support done in the name of Jesus Christ.
The recently retired lay leader of our congregation is a medical doctor who each year arranges for a medical mission for a rural area of Honduras where there is no hospital or medical care available. They will go again this spring.
By and large most of the Army’s membership is in the third world. In Zimbabwe, for instance, it is the third largest religious denomination after the Catholics and the Anglicans
This just CAN'T be true!
Why, I've read right here in FR that the MORMONs are very big at doing good works!
VERY big - MUCH bigger than mere Christians!
Thank you.
What I like most about the SA is that it quietly goes about the business of caring for the "least of these" without feeling the need to publicize its good works.
I know that it has low-income homes for seniors and I donate my used clothing and household goods to their thrift stores. This in addition to all the work it does in foreign lands.
I have read Cathy Buckle's "Letters From Zimbabwe" and am glad to know that the SA is there. That country has undergone so much upheaval, and I fear that the present administration leans towards implementing Mugabe's methods in the US.
EDITORIAL: Menacing turn in Black Panther case--The Justice Department asserts tyrannical privileges
I take your comments to be a bit “tongue-in-cheek”. If I’m mistaken on that please accept my apology.
I’m familiar with the “Black Panther” case and share your concern about what’s happening in our nation. Our president is out of touch with the American people and will pay a price, hopefully starting with the special election in Mass. next week.
From what I have read of Zimbabwe, the people are literally starving to death as a result of the land appropriation of which Mugabe’s thugs have been the beneficiaries. Obama will solve the problem. I understand that he plans to write a strong letter to the UN
Yeah, that letter will condemn the white farmers for allowing the people to starve because they allowed themselves to be driven out and their farms confiscated by Mugabe's thugs.
That letter will also condemn George W. Bush, because but for him, the world would be such a better place, and he was, of course, responsible for all the evil that occurred during his eight years in office.
You ‘take’ rightly! ;^)
Global Partners Director of Operations, Peter Moore, said, "Of the106 Wesleyan churches in Haiti, the epicenter of this earthquake has directly impacted five congregations in the greater Port-au-Prince area. One of these, the largest Wesleyan church in Haiti, is located in the area that seems to have been hardest hit. We have not yet been able to establish communication with the pastor of that church or anyone associated with it at the time of this posting."
Thankfully, all Wesleyan missionaries are safe and accounted for.
Our Caribe Atlantic Area Director, Dan Irvine reports, "We are finding the information posted on the major news sources to be accurate and coinciding with the reports that we are receiving locally. The major cell phone provider for the country is not functioning and the only news we are receiving out of Port-au-Prince is internet and radio news."
There is significant damage in the town of Anse-a-Galets where the Wesleyan hospital is located but at this point we are not aware of any loss of life. Upon initial examination the hospital appears not to have sustained any major damage but as a precaution, the patients slept in the tin roof clinic last night instead of the concrete roof hospital building. Our missionaries on the island of La Gonave have however been hearing the traditional death wail signifying that another family in our community has received devastating news regarding a loved one in the capital city.
The leaders of our National Church and our Global Partners missionaries are grateful for the corporate prayers and support of our global Wesleyan family during this difficult time. Wesleyans helping Wesleyans in their time of need is the rally cry of the hour for our brothers and sisters in this disadvantaged country.
Please make your check payable to The Wesleyan Church as you mail your timely donations to:
Wesleyan Emergency Relief Fund
13300 Olio Road
Fishers, Indiana
46037
For Canadian donors: Relief cheques are to be made payable to "The Wesleyan Church of Canada" and mailed to 1830 Mountain Road, Moncton, NB E1G 1A9.
To make a credit card donation click here or call 800.707.7715. Use fund number WM07-0005 with the description "Haiti Relief."
You may also direct your donations through World Hope International, the primary partner in ministries of compassion for The Wesleyan Church.
With 9 million residents, Haiti has been called the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. A report by one news company said that 75% of the population lives on less than $2 a day. Its resources for rescue and relief efforts are almost non-existent. But Haiti has long been on the hearts of Wesleyans. Over the years, scores of volunteers from Wesleyan churches and organizations have been involved in ministries of compassion, both on Haiti's mainland and on the island of La Gonave.
Presbyterian Churches Send Aid to Haiti
Methodist Churches Send Aid to Haiti
Baptist Churches Send Aid to Haiti
Evangelical Churches Send Aid to Haiti
Catholic Church Send Aid to Haiti
Salvation Army Mobilizing Aid to Haiti
I love this. In His Name.........
That letter will also condemn George W. Bush, because but for him, the world would be such a better place, and he was, of course, responsible for all the evil that occurred during his eight years in office.
- - - — -
Did you forget the /sarc tag?
I meant complete sarcasm. I should have made that clearer.
I suspected so.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.