Salvation Army responds with food, supplies and hope

The Salvation Army in the Southern Territory mobilizes to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. As families face sudden joblessness and financial crises, and vulnerable homeless residents seek shelter from the disease, corps and commands come up with creative ways to serve people in need and welcome stepped-up support from their community partners.

Alexandria, Virginia: Commissioners Willis and Barbara Howell, Southern territorial leaders, visited the nation’s capital to see the work being done during the coronavirus crisis. Commissioners Howell witnessed the sewing of face masks at the Landmark Corps, which ministers to the growing Korean American population in Northern Virginia. The group is working to create 5,000 face masks to distribute across the community. The Landmark Corps, like many others in the Washington, D.C., area, also continues to distribute food to help families facing financial hardship, who are not working as a result of the pandemic.

Greenville, South Carolina: The Salvation Army of Greenville, South Carolina, received $5,000 from the Hargrove Foundation, the charitable link of the Hargrove Family of Companies. These funds will support The Salvation Army of Greenville's COVID-19 relief efforts. The Greenville Corps is providing grocery assistance boxes to families in need and vulnerable populations. The Salvation Army emergency homeless shelter, which houses 143 individuals, was operating at full capacity and did not admit new residents for a time. As state restrictions have begun to ease, new residents are being admitted on a limited basis. Families and individuals in need may also apply for rent and utility assistance through The Salvation Army's social services office. The Hargrove Family of Companies is based in Mobile, Alabama, and recently opened a Greenville location.

Midland, Texas: Captain Jeremy Walker, Midland corps officer, delivers love, encouragement and more to families in Odessa and Midland during this challenging time of social distancing. Included in the care packages were Sunday school material, a little refreshment, some fun family games, toilet paper and prayer.

Germantown, Maryland: Shivali and Anish Chikkaswamy of Montgomery County, Maryland, raised about $1,000 in donations to help others during the current COVID-19 crisis. The two high students used the money to create Red Shield Care packages that will help the hardest-hit families in the community. They dropped off their donation at The Salvation Army Montgomery County Corps Community Center located in Germantown last week.

Charleston, West Virginia: With the help of United Way of West Virginia employees and The Salvation Army employees and volunteers, 310 hot spaghetti meals and many cases of water and boxed prepared meals were given to those in need. “How blessed we are that God provided what was needed to make this happen,” the corps said in a Facebook posting.

Owensboro, Kentucky: In celebration of National Salvation Army week, Lori Coghill Thurman and Captains Aaron and Rebekah Abram and their children of The Salvation Army Owensboro Corps visited all of the Owensboro Fire Department stations, two Daviess County Fire Department stations, the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office and the Owensboro Police Department to drop off some Rolling Pin Pastry Shop doughnuts. It's the corps' way of saying thank you for all that these men and women do for the community. Captain Aaron and the Abrams children, Honor Junior Soldier Alexis and Junior Soldier Alexander, deliver doughnuts on May 15 to Sheriff’s Lieutenant Nick Roby.

Athens, Georgia: Captain Erik Henry accepts a $15,000 check on behalf of The Salvation Army from the Athens Area Community Foundation and United Way to support the Center of Hope emergency shelter. “Thank you for helping us ‘Do the Most Good’ for people in need,” the corps said in a Facebook posting.