Never Miss a Chance to Do the Most Good
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Never Miss a Chance to Do the Most Good
Please enter your name, email and zip code below to sign up!
Restoring Lives in the Midst of Disaster
Whether it's a large-scale weather-related disaster or a local house fire, we are ready to respond
with food, material assistance, shelter, and emotional and spiritual care for survivors.
As severe weather intensifies across the country, insured losses continue to increase exponentially, totaling billions of dollars each year.
Here in Des Moines, many of us will struggle to recover from the catastrophic effects of tornadoes, hailstorms, flooding, drought and blizzards during our lifetime.
When The Salvation Army responds to a disaster, our first aim is to meet the basic needs of both survivors and first responders.
In addition to providing food and material assistance, we also offer a ministry of presence, coming alongside those who are suffering and grieving by offering emotional support and physical comfort, as well as prayer and spiritual counseling when it is desired. If a disaster strikes your community, you can be sure that we will be among the first at the scene, doing everything possible to bring comfort and hope.
The Salvation Army of Des Moines supports disaster survivors through:
Often the most pressing need at the scene of a disaster is food and water for survivors and first responders. Food may be prepared and served at a nearby Salvation Army worship or service center or on location via one of our mobile kitchens. We also provide beverages that hydrate, replenish electrolytes and sustain energy.
You've likely seen images in the media of survivors standing shocked next to the wreckage that was once their home. In their time of greatest need, we provide clean, safe shelter in our worship and service centers, as well as in local churches, schools and other temporary facilities. Disaster survivors can rest and be cared for as they figure out their next steps.
It's not unusual for survivors to emerge from a catastrophe with little but the clothes on their backs. We provide for the basic physical needs of people who have lost virtually everything, from clothing and personal hygiene items to household goods. We also assist with the daunting task of cleanup and long-term restoration by distributing supplies, coordinating volunteer rebuilding teams and establishing warehouses to distribute reconstruction supplies, often being the last volunteers to leave a disaster area.
Disaster relief and recovery services are provided to all in need, but for those who request it, our counselors, many of whom are ordained as clergy, also share the Word of God, prayer and spiritual counseling as a source of solace and hope. We also know that it's important to simply come alongside and be present with those who are suffering and grieving. Sometimes a quiet gesture of love and compassion can make all the difference, even in the direst circumstances.
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