Lastest News and Events
Oklahoma Tornado Relief Effort
The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) is providing food, beverage, and spiritual support to survivors and first responders following the severe tornado activity and damage in Oklahoma yesterday and today.
The Salvation Army is currently mobilizing disaster response units to serve hard-hit areas in Central Oklahoma, including Moore and South Oklahoma City.
The Salvation Army has been responding to many impacted areas throughout Oklahoma today, including:
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- In Pottawatomie County: The McAlester, OK and Shawnee, OK disaster response teams served multiple locations in the Shawnee area, including devastated neighborhoods and rural areas throughout the night and day. Around 3:00 PM all units were pulled into safety as tremendous storms threatened the area. Response teams will be out once again upon an all-clear.
- In Lincoln County: The Enid, OK canteen provided breakfast, lunch & dinner to the Carney, OK area throughout the early morning hours and all day today.
- In Cleveland County: The Central Oklahoma Area Command Disaster Service Unit responded to the Little Axe area with breakfast, lunch & dinner today. The Salvation Army was responding, even as one of our Salvation Army family member’s home was destroyed.
Monetary donations are the most critical need as supplies and personnel are mobilized.
Donors are encouraged to give online at www.SalvationArmyUSA.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).
You can also text the word “STORM” to 80888 to make a $10 donation through your mobile phone; to confirm your gift, respond with the word “Yes.”*
Donations in the form of checks designated to Oklahoma Tornado Relief may also be mailed locally to:
The Salvation Army PO Box 4159 Rockford, IL 61110Please designate as “Oklahoma Tornado Relief” on memo line
Your donations make a real difference.
- A $10 donation feeds a disaster survivor for one day.
- A $30 donation provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies
- A $100 donation can serve snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a disaster
- A $250 donation can provide one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24 hours
- A $500 donation keeps a Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day
Salvation Army Statements
Major Steve Morris, Divisional Commander of the Arkansas-Oklahoma Division of The Salvation Army
- “The Salvation Army is calling on everyone to pray for all of those impacted by the devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma.”
- “Many of these impacted communities will take months or even years to recover. The Salvation Army is committed to being there with them throughout and providing aid wherever it’s needed.”
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About The Salvation Army
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. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends 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 & 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 TMobile. By participating you certify that you agree to the terms and conditions, that you are 18 yrs. or older, or have parental permission, and have authorization from the account holder. Donations are collected for the benefit of The Salvation Army by the Innovative Giving 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 80888 for help.
read moreFREE DONUTS IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL DONUT DAY
National Donut Day
Saturday, June 1st
9 am – 9 pm CherryVale Mall 7200 Harrison Ave, Rockford District Entrance (outside by Barnes & Noble) In celebration of the 75th Annual Donut Day FREE DONUTS will be distributed out of The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services Canteen outside the District Entrance at CherryVale Mall next to Barnes & Noble. Come have your picture taken with a “real” DONUT GIRL FROM WWI. VOLUNTEERS are needed to help with the solicitation of funds and for serving donuts in the canteen. You can signup online at www.ringbells.org or call 815-962-7207. This event is sponsored in part by SCHUNCKS and CHERRYVALE MALL.75th Annual National Donut Day Fun Facts:
- The Salvation Army started National Donut Day during the Great Depression as a way to raise funds and bring awareness to The Salvation Army’s social service programs.
- National Donut Day commemorates the “donut lassies,” female Salvation Army volunteers who provided writing supplies, stamps, clothes-mending and home-cooked meals, and of course, donuts, for soldiers on the front lines.
- Approximately 250 Salvation Army volunteers provided assistance to American soldiers in France starting in 1917 during WWI.
- With limited resources, these treats were fried, only seven at a time. The Salvation Army’s Ensign Margaret Sheldon and Adjutant Helen Purviance cleverly thought of frying donuts in soldiers’ helmets.
- Last year, 30 million Americans received assistance from The Salvation Army’s 3,600 officers, 60,000 employees and 3.4 million volunteers.
Thanking Donors During National Salvation Army Week
During National Salvation Army Week, The Salvation Army was out at Cherry Vale Mall thanking donors in Winnebago County who have helped contribute more than $800,000.
To see video click here.
read moreCan-Struction AmeriCAN Flag Complete
In five days, 4,000 canned goods were stacked, taped, and secured to each other to form an AmeriCAN flag at center court in CherryVale Mall in Rockford. This canned edifice represents the creativity and collaboration that is alive and well within the Rockford community and it brings awareness to the needs of others through the idea of “You CAN make a difference.” the need to bring awareness to . This project is part of a month long celebration of creativity through Rockford’s Out of the Box community initiative. The AmeriCAN flag will be on display throughout the month of May and volunteers are to be Project Hosts. You can signup for a 2-hour shift at www.ringbells.org or call 815-962-7207.
All 4,000 plus cans of food are being donated to The Salvation Army Food Pantry. Volunteers are needed for tear down on Saturday, June 1st from 8 – 10 pm. Closed toe shoes are required and you have be able work use a box cutter, bend, pack cans into boxes and lift boxes. You can signup online at www.ringbells.org or call 815-962-7207.
Many thanks to SAM FURMAN of the GroundUP, Rockford AIA Architects, and volunteers for building the AmeriCAN Flag.
Many, many thanks to Rockford’s Out of the Box community initiative, the brainchild of the the Superintendent of Rockford Lutheran Schools, Don Gillingham and Communications Director, Nancee Long. For more information on community events please visit http://www.rockfordlutheran.com/outofthebox/
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