Continued Midwest Flood Relief Efforts
The Salvation Army Midland Division Report
MARC Activity – Jan. 9 and 10 (Jefferson Co.) /January 11(Franklin Co.) and Overview
On Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10, The Salvation Army, interviewed 178 people in service to flood victims participating in the Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) at Valley Park Middle School in House Springs, Mo. (4300 Gravois).
The day before, a MARC had been held in Cape Girardeau, Mo., where damage was less severe. The House Springs event, however, was the one of a series of MARC’s scheduled across the St. Louis region and staged to support the hardest hit areas of Jefferson and Franklin Counties.
Over the two-day event, hundreds of families displaced or severely impacted by the holiday floods, poured into the middle school taking refuge from yet another turn in the weather that brought wet snow and colder temperatures. Children were shown to a makeshift daycare while their families signed in and waited to enter the school gymnasium where several agencies were standing by to provide direct and immediate assistance.
Upon entering the gym, each person received a checklist of participating agencies. As people left, loaded down with supplies, word spread quickly about the types of assistance available. Lines continued throughout the day.
Arnold Corp incident commander Captain Debra Osborne, was among those who walked the crowded halls stopping to comfort or pray with those waiting to be served. She reports that over the two-days, The Salvation Army interviewed 178 people and made 17 referrals. The team opened 176 cases and provided vouchers for clothing, groceries and health or personal needs totaling $43,000. In addition, emotional and spiritual support was provided to more than 200 individuals and families.
Captain Debra points out, “The Salvation Army has been engaged in 2015 flood relief efforts of all types since the beginning and we are committed to seeing it through until our communities are back on track.”
Today, January 11, from 11 – 7 p.m. a MARC serving Franklin County was launched and will reopen on January 12 (see schedule below). The team reports there were 78 interviews and 78 cases opened. Fifteen people were referred to other agencies and just over $17,500 in assistance was issued.
Presently, activity is on-going in Cape Girardeau where the Midland Division has a canteen in operation and is responding to river flood recovery. Additional Midland canteens are in service in targeted sites across the St. Louis region. The Midland Division has established an Area Incident Command (AIC) to support EDS efforts in the St. Louis region, Cape Girardeau, Mo, and other areas as needed.
Additional MARCs are planned for:
- Franklin County MARC, Tuesday, January 12, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – This is day two of the MARC at the Pacific Eagles Hall at 797 West Congress Pacific, Mo., 63069.
- St. Louis City/Country MARC will be held on Thursday, January 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday, January 15 from 11 – 7 p.m. at the United Methodist Church at 120 Woods Mill Road in Manchester, Mo. 63011.
- Alexander County MARC, Thursday January 14, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., at Horseshoe Lake Chamber of Commerce, 22434 Railroad Street , Olive Branch, Ill. 62969.
- Christian County MARC, Wednesday January 13, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Kincaid, Ill., American Legion Post 905, 800 Railroad Ave., Kincaid, Ill. 63540.