We combat natural disasters with acts of God

How we help disaster survivors

We combat natural disasters with acts of God.

The Salvation Army's Disaster Services represent a commitment to serve people in their time of need and at their exact location of need. First begun following a hurricane which devastated Galveston, Texas in 1900, the worldwide program has gone on to serve millions of disaster victims in the 100 years since. In the Eastern Michigan Division, a dozen disaster response teams, directed by trained personnel, are on call to serve at all disasters and civil disorders which may place a community at risk, or disrupt family security and well-being. Mobile canteens provide food, temporary shelter, blankets, communications, pastoral counseling, emergency lighting, clean-up kits and referrals to Salvation Army centers. By partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) and local agencies, The Salvation Army ensures its disaster services are provided in the most efficient manner possible.

The Salvation Army helps meet the disaster survivors through:

Training

The first step in being ready to respond to an emergency is training. In partnership with other agencies, The Salvation Army’s disaster training program offers a variety of courses designed to help individuals and communities prepare for emergency events and become trained disaster volunteers.

Food Service

When disaster strikes, one of the first signs that help is on the way is often the arrival of a Salvation Army mobile feeding unit, offering meals, snacks and drinks to rescue workers and survivors.

Emotional and Spiritual Care

Motivated by Christian faith, The Salvation Army deploys specially trained individuals to offer emotional and spiritual care to rescue workers and disaster survivors.

Emergency Communications

The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) includes a worldwide network of volunteer amateur radio operators and other communications specialists, who may be mobilized to transmit emergency information during a disaster event.

Disaster Social Services

After a family has lost everything in a disaster, The Salvation Army is there to provide emergency assistance to help meet survivors’ most urgent needs for food, clothing, shelter and medical services.

Donations Management

The Salvation Army is one of the nation’s leaders in responsibly collecting, sorting and distributing donated goods. The Salvation Army encourages cash donations as the best and most flexible way to help and solicits only those in-kind donations which can be effectively received and efficiently distributed.

Recovery

The Salvation Army supports long-term disaster recovery operations with flexible programming that is adaptable to the unique needs of individual communities.

For more information, please contact our office at 734-282-0930.