Doing more ‘most good’

As a part of the largest Salvation Army disaster effort since Hurricane Katrina, our disaster services team and volunteers are working around the clock to help anyone who needs it. They answer the hotline, pass out snacks and bottles of water and help others clean up and move on. Currently, we’re running operations in Shelby, Morgan, Bartholomew, Rush, Johnson, Owen, Green, and Clay Counties.  We have 3 fixed feeding sites, 8 mobile feeding vehicles, and 1 shelter providing hydration, meals, snacks, clean-up kits, insect repellent, sun screen, baby products, and hygiene products. 

That’s pretty remarkable. But that team is a lot bigger than the staff and volunteers, it includes so many businesses and organizations who’ve picked up the phone to find out what we need. Like the folks at Snyder’s of Hanover snacks who heard the call for help and offered up 28 pallets of snacks for distribution at our canteens and centers. Or, the guys at Penske Logistics who will be using their trucks to haul clean up kits and supplies. Like our long-time friends at Wal-Mart and Target who are sending cash and supplies. We thank each and every partner and new friend.

There’s quite a lot going on this weekend. We’ve got a truck in the parking lot of the Shelbyville Wal-Mart that’s collecting donations. Tonight is the fund-raiser at ICE Ultra Lounge, downtown on Meridian Street. I’ll be out at Verizon Wireless Music Center with some volunteers ringing the bells at the Rascal Flatts concert tomorrow night. And there’s so many of you who haven’t shared what you’re doing, but we know that we’ll see the fruits of your labor in time.

At last count, more than 5,000 meals have been served and nearly 10,000 bottles of water and Gatorade have been handed out. As you can imagine, this kind of response pushes our resources to the limit. (If you’d like to donate, click here) But, through the support of our community and partners like you, we can continue “doing the most good” for those who need it most.