The Salvation Army of the Mid and Upper Shore announces that its Disaster Relief Campaign is now in full swing as it prepares for the approaching season of storms and severe weather. The organization is working to stock up on Disaster Canteen supplies and to gain support.
The Salvation Army’s Disaster Canteen, a full-service “kitchen-on-wheels”, provides aid to people affected by natural disasters. It has the capacity to prepare and serve 1,500 meals a day and can be dispatched to serve those who have been forced to leave their homes.
June 1 marks the official start of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and the AccuWeather.com Long-Range Forecasting Team has predicted that this season will bring 12 named storms, five named hurricanes, and two major hurricanes.
An indication of a strong stormy season has already been seen this year. Tropical Storm Beryl, the strongest pre-June tropical cyclone to make landfall in the United States, formed off the southeast coast and made landfall near Jacksonville, Fla. in late May. Tropical Storm Alberto also formed over the Atlantic Ocean earlier in May.
“A lot of people don’t think about severe weather on the Eastern Shore until late spring and early fall, but now is the time to prepare for the upcoming season,” says Major Brooks Gilliam, corps officer of The Salvation Army of the Mid and Upper Shore. “We have a great need for trained volunteers to help The Salvation Army respond locally.”
The Salvation Army of the Mid and Upper Shore is currently accepting canned goods and water bottles to stock the Disaster Canteen. Items can be dropped off at 200 Washington Street, Cambridge. They are also seeking board members, as well as volunteers interested in preparing and serving meals from the Canteen. Prospective volunteers can send their contact information to Natalie_Ruark@uss.salvationarmy.org or call 410-228-2442. They will be contacted once enough volunteers are available to hold a class.
About The Salvation Army of the Mid and Upper Shore
The Salvation Army is affiliated with the universal Christian church and has been supporting those in need without discrimination for 130 years. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a broad array of social services such as 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 spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army of the Mid and Upper Shore has served Dorchester, Talbot, Caroline, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore since 1913. Monetary donations can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY; sending a check to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 91, Cambridge, MD 21613; or visiting https://donate.salvationarmyusa.org/ and specifying Cambridge, MD. Gifts in kind can also be given by contacting The Salvation Army at 410-228-2442.