Cooperative Efforts Provide for Katrina Disaster Victims

A widespread disaster unfolded Tuesday after one of the most powerful storms ever to threaten the United States bore down on the Gulf Coast and sent hundreds of thousands of people fleeing.

As the remnants of Hurricane Katrina moved into the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys early Tuesday, more than 2.3 million electricity customers along the U.S. Gulf Coast have been left without power, and authorities said it could be two months before electricity is restored to everyone.

Meanwhile, the property and casualty insurance industry, hit hard last year when four separate hurricanes slammed into Florida, now faces as much as $26 billion in claims from Hurricane Katrina's foray into Louisiana and neighboring Gulf Coast states, according to preliminary risk assessments.

Salvation Army Divisional Commander Major Dalton Cunningham, said that, in his experience, the impact of Hurricane Katrina is unprecedented.

Cunningham, who is responsible for the three states hardest hit by the storm so far – Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama – said, “The size of this is massive. It is covering several states and coming several hundred miles inland. So the needed resources are going to be more widespread.”

“This one is hitting multiple cities,” he added.

Approximately 100 Salvation Army workers are presently working either in the field – such as at shelters in New Orleans – or at national and regional headquarters to coordinate activities. Another 200 are standing by at the perimeter of the storm, waiting on the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assess where best to direct resources.

Once activated, the 200 workers of the Salvation Army’s Incident Management Teams will be moving in 72 canteens that can feed 400,000 people a day and two 54-foot mobile kitchens that each can feed an additional 20,000 people per day.

He said those wanting to help the needy by assisting the Salvation Army could best do so by making cash donations, rather than goods because people without a home have no place to put the goods.

“Financial contributions are greatly needed, and provide The Salvation Army with the funds to purchase what storm victims need. They also allow The Salvation Army to assess the unique needs of individuals and families, as well as put money back into the economy of those communities affected by the disaster.”

On Monday, Wal-Mart contributed one million dollars to the Salvation Army for its relief efforts. More than 80 Wal-Mart stores are currently closed in the Gulf Coast states, and the company’s Emergency Operations Center is working 24/7 with its southeast distribution centers – all standing by as the storm passes to send truckloads of product to communities as stores re-open.

“We know that financial assistance early on is what enables organizations like the Salvation Army the ability to meet needs quickly as these storms move through,” said Betsy Reithemeyer, vice president and executive director of the Wal-Mart & SAM’S CLUB Foundation. “We are all concerned and want to reach out with assistance as quickly as possible.”

Cunningham said the Salvation Army is “appreciative of corporate leaders like Wal-Mart who continue to come through to help our communities in such times of need.”

Also working with the Salvation Army to address the needs of the people is Operation Blessing, the international humanitarian aid organization that provides food, water, medicine and disaster relief.

With six tractor trailers filled with food and one recently acquired mobile kitchen, Operation Blessing will be distributing food to the Salvation Army's two large mobile kitchens and 72 feeding canteens.

"Hopefully, by the end of the week, we will provide up to 310,000 meals per day in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama," said Operation Blessing spokesperson, Kristin Vischer.

Several groups affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention are also offering assistance, in particular food preparation.

According to Cunningham, the biggest challenge over the next one to three days will be getting into the worst affected areas.

“We ask for the prayers of all the people that we have wisdom, strength and the resources to meet the demands,” he said. “People mean the most to us. Houses and other things can be replaced.”

"We try to demonstrate God's love through action,” said Vischer. “It's not so much evangelistically as just showing them that we're there for them no matter what they're going through. We're not simply going to give them a bag of groceries and leave, but we're in for the long run. That's what Christ did."