Donations needed for typhoon relief in Philippines
STORY UPDATE: The Salvation Army is spreading assistance to communities that were hit by Typhoon Haiyan but have not received the same media coverage as the devastated city of Tacloban and Leyte Island. In Antique Province, for instance, many towns and villages were battered by the typhoon. The Salvation Army has agreed to provide food to 4,710 families in Antique Province, where local Salvation Army churches are also working with the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Salvation Army teams have also conducted assessments in the communities of Tibiao, Barbasa and Bugasong, where most homes were damaged or destroyed.
Alexandria, Va. – Salvation Army teams in the Philippines are providing food, water, medical supplies and other critical support to thousands of people affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
“Survivors are succumbing to hunger and diseases,” states The Salvation Army Philippine Territory website. “Violence and looting have become rampant. There are those who are losing their minds because of grief and hunger.”
Lt. Col. Bob Lee, Chief Secretary of The Salvation Army Philippines Territory, said it will take more than a week to determine the full extent of the damage to the people, infrastructure, livestock and crops of this poor Southeast Asian nation.
“What the government and non-governmental agencies are now struggling with is the accessibility of roads so that relief goods can reach the survivors,” said Lee, whose team – including a Salvation Army doctor – is making arrangements with the Philippine Airforce to transport aid to hard-hit Tacloban, capital city of the island province Leyte.
The Salvation Army Philippines Territory opened in 1937 and includes more than 100 centers of operation, including schools, children’s homes, churches, outreach centers and more.
At least 10,000 people are thought to have died in the Nov. 9 disaster, with hundreds of thousands left without homes, power or clean water. At least 9.7 million people have been affected by the typhoon, authorities said.
“The need is great and we want to provide a significant response,” Lee continued. “The task for us is immense and our cash extremely limited.”
One hundred percent of your donations to The Salvation Army go directly to helping Typhoon Haiyan survivors. Please help us save lives in the Philippines:
- Give online.
- Mail a check designated “Typhoon Haiyan” to: Salvation Army World Service Office, International Relief Fund, P.O. Box 418558, Boston, MA 02241-855
- Text TYPHOON to 80888 and reply YES to confirm your donation.*
About The Salvation Army USA
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.
Of every dollar The Salvation Army spends, 82 cents is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.
*A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Message and Data Rates May Apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. By participating you certify that you are 18 yrs or older and/or have parental permission. Donations are collected for the benefit of The Salvation Army by Innogive Foundation and subject to the terms found at igfn.org/t. Privacy policy: igfn.org/p. Text STOP to 80888 to stop; Text HELP to specify 80888 for help.