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As Need Increases, Salvation Army Continues to Adjust to Meet Demand

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The Salvation Army nears 30,000 meals served to those in need in the Greater New Orleans area. 19 canteens (mobile feeding units) depart daily from The Salvation Army’s temporary disaster warehouse in New Orleans loaded with hot meals, MRE’s, water, and snacks. The Salvation Army continues to identify and optimize their routes and locations based on the need in local communities.

“I didn’t think it was going to be what it was,” said Ken Stroughtor, a resident near downtown New Orleans. “Even if I wanted to evacuate I couldn’t, it came so fast.” Ken echo’s what many New Orleanians are saying, that their time was short, and a decision had to be made. Stay or leave now! “I’m so grateful that The Salvation Army made it out here. I knew when I saw the truck, we were going to be okay, at least we’ll have a full belly.”

“As the need grows, we will shift in what we offer just to make sure were doing all we can to meet as much need as we can in Jesus’ name,” said Commissioner Willis Howell, leader for The Salvation Army in the Southern Territory. Commissioner Howell shook the hand of Ken Stroughtor and listened as Ken shared his experience surviving Ida. “What a privilege that we have to serve,” the commissioner concluded. He and his wife Barbara served throughout the day while providing emotional care and prayers for those that waited in the feeding line.

The Emergency Disaster Team arrived in New Orleans late Monday night and has been serving from sunup to sundown every day sending 19 mobile feeding units into local neighborhoods.

Cumulative Stats:

Food Service

  • 88113 Meals
  • 64438 Drinks
  • 28780 Snacks
  • 39 Active Mobile Feeding Units

Product Distributed

  • 101 Cleaning Supplies / Tools (per order)
  • 1591 Comfort / Hygiene Kits (per kit)
  • 133 Water (per case)
  • 144 Disaster Workers have given 7032 hours of service
  • Emotional and Spiritual Care to 3443 people

Commissioner Howell Speaks at Gadsden Corps’ Annual Dinner

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The Salvation Army of Gadsden, Alabama’s Annual Dinner was held on May 14, 2019. It was an opportunity for the Gadsden Corps to meet with their community of supporters and volunteers and discuss their work in the community. The speaker and guest of honor, Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army Southern Territory, Commissioner Willis Howell, spoke about that work and the significant difference The Salvation Army can make in the lives of those in need. It was part of the Commissioner’s initiative to remind the community of The Salvation Army’s “Why” — why The Salvation Army exists and what it should accomplish.

Commissioner Howell spoke about the organization he leads as a safety net that can help save people who are fallen and hurting. It is a “mission and a vision of The Salvation Army that I am 100% behind,” said Gadsden Corps officer, Captain Dennis Hayes, who introduced the Commissioner. As a former student of Commissioner Howell, Captain Hayes spoke of his dedication to the Army. And it was a dedication to that vision that the Commissioner continued to address.

Commissioner Howell’s speech was about helping people in the world who are at spiritual risk in their life, as well as those in physical need. “If The Salvation Army stopped only with catching people when they fell; if all we did was stretch out our safety net to catch those who find themselves in free fall, people in communities all around the south, people would applaud,” he said. As he continued, he made the point that the “why” of The Salvation Army, in Gadsden and all over the world, is to help people find something more. Commissioner Howell said,“We don’t help people simply to help them, and that’s that. We help people to, yes, get them back on their feet, but it also gives us the opportunity as The Salvation Army to talk to them about Jesus.”