Community Coffee Company partners with The Salvation Army to expand emergency disaster relief efforts

By: Aimee Murry

In mid-February, Community Coffee Company presented The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services with a check for $250,000 to expand the organization’s emergency response fleet for future disaster relief efforts. The Salvation Army has allocated the funds to purchase three van emergency response vehicles (VRUs) for New Orleans, Houma, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"With The Salvation Army's history of providing hope for over 100 years and ours of serving communities for over 100 years, we see them as an ideal partner in our efforts to make communities stronger during times of disaster," said Matt Saurage, chairman of Community Coffee. "We know how important that first cup of coffee can be from our mobile cafes that show up after a storm and we are combining efforts to reach more communities with the purchase of three new vans for The Salvation Army's on-the-ground efforts."

Saurage, along with family owners Donna and Hank Saurage, presented the ample check to Major Kent Davis, The Salvation Army’s divisional commander for The Salvation Army Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi Division, and William Trueblood, emergency disaster services director for Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

“It is because of our partners like Community Coffee Company that we can sustain and reinforce our emergency response fleet to mobilize and respond swiftly and effectively when disaster strikes,” said Trueblood. “I’m grateful for their partnership and their enduring commitment to their community.”

Trueblood said these new vehicles would enable a speedier mobilization in response to a disaster throughout the Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi division. Already, The Salvation Army maintains a fleet of emergency response vehicles, including mobile canteens and kitchen units around the country, with 270 of these assets in the southern United States alone.

“It is with a grateful heart that I thank our friends at Community Coffee Company for strengthening and expanding our fleet’s capacity to serve our communities in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi when tragedy strikes,” said Major Davis.

In the aftermath of category 4 Hurricane Ida’s destruction in Aug. 2021, Community Coffee Company launched the Community Strong campaign committing 10 percent of retail sales proceeds, up to $250,000, from the sale of Community coffee products to support The Salvation Army’s Hurricane Ida relief efforts.

Following Ida, The Salvation Army provided over 450,000 meals, 9,000 food boxes, over 350,000 drinks and snacks, as well as emotional and spiritual care for thousands in need. In addition, Community Coffee Company served more than 90,000 cups of fresh coffee to first responders, frontline utility workers, and displaced residents.

The Salvation Army is nationally recognized as a sanctioned disaster relief and assistance organization. With a presence in almost every ZIP code in the country, it is uniquely positioned to respond with a clear understanding of each impacted area’s needs.

For more information and updates, visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org.