It’s been two years since the 2005 hurricane season, encompassing tropical cyclones Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. These hurricanes spurred The Salvation Army’s largest natural disaster response effort in the United States in its 126 year history. More than $394 million was donated to the Army to assist in the effort.
Following an initial response phase in which more than 1.7 million people were served, The Salvation Army continues to be active in recovery two years after the storms hit. The Army has not set an end date for its dedicated disaster services which provide for basic needs such as, food, clothing, housing and jobs.
Response
During the response phase of the Katrina disaster operation, The Salvation Army focused on meeting immediate essential human needs of rescue workers and disaster survivors. Monies were used to support services such as the provision of food, clothing and shelter, distribution of in-kind goods and medical supplies, and emotional and spiritual care.
During the response phase of the disaster operation:
-1.7 million people were provided assistance
-5.7 million hot meals were served
-8.3 million sandwiches, snacks and drinks were provided
-178 Canteens and 11 Field Kitchens were dispatched in the many areas affected
-282,000 social service cases were registered
-More than 188,000 individuals received emotional and spiritual care
-Salvation Army disaster workers on the Gulf Coast logged more than 830,000 hours of service
-More than $84 million expended in the first three months of operations
The Salvation Army has provided case management and direct financial aid to storm victims in nearly every state in the USA; principal focus areas included the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Chicago, and New York.
The Salvation Army considers the emergency response phase of the operation to be complete and is now focused on supporting long-term recovery.
Recovery
During the recovery phase of the Katrina operation, which started in January 2006 and continues through the present, The Salvation Army is focusing on case management, reconstruction and support of volunteer rebuild teams. The Army has outlined a long-term plan for Louisiana and Mississippi, and is participating in the Katrina Aid Today program.
Long-term Recovery Plan For Louisiana and Mississippi
As part of The Salvation Army’s long-term recovery effort, the Alabama-Louisiana-Mississippi (ALM) Division, which serves both the Miss. and La. Gulf Coast, implemented a six-point Community Recovery Program. The Community Recovery Program (CRP) is a $150 million disaster relief initiative that provides assistance to survivors of both Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Mississippi and Louisiana.
The six projects that encompass the Community Recovery Program are:
-Project 1 – Distribution Center Support and Operation: The purpose of this project is to provide continued financial support for Salvation Army Disaster Recovery Centers that are providing distribution of immediate needs items as a part of their case work. This continues to be done on an as-needed basis in New Orleans and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
-Project 2 – Volunteer Village Support and Operation: The Salvation Army is financially and logistically supporting two Volunteer Villages in its own facilities – one in New Orleans, La., and one in Biloxi, Miss. In addition, The Salvation Army has also provided financial and logistical support to other Volunteer Villages being operated by other nonprofit, disaster relief agencies.
-Project 3 – Community Capacity Fund: The Community Capacity Fund provides funding to small, lesser funded local organizations with good recovery program ideas.
-Project 4 – Home Repair and Reconstruction Support: The Salvation Army is logistically and financially partnering with a large number of nonprofit agencies that specialize in repair or reconstruction of homes that have been affected by disasters.
-Project 5 – Habitat For Humanity Home Reconstruction Support: The Salvation Army has set aside a significant fund to support Habitat For Humanity in its efforts to replace homes that were totally destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
-Project 6 – Job Skills Training / Re-Training Support: The Salvation Army has partnered with a consortium of universities that are providing job skills training and re-training for disaster victims whose jobs no longer exist due to the storm or whose current skills are no longer needed.
The basic thrust of the Community Recovery Program is to provide casework, logistical and financial support to other community nonprofit partners in cooperation with the local Long-Term Recovery or Unmet Needs Committees that are involved in efforts to repair or reconstruct client homes in those areas most affected by the storms. Through May 31, 2007, among other efforts, the CRP has:
-Opened a total of 220,000 cases for those in need
-Assisted 1.4 million people
-Provided funds for home repair or reconstruction, up to $10,000 per family, in coordination with other rebuild organizations
In addition, the Community Recovery Program has also made it possible to financially support larger projects that broadly benefit the community as a whole. For instance:
-$1.8 million was granted to Operation Blessing International to purchase medicine in support of their free medical clinic in Slidell, La.
-Another $1 million has been granted to a partnership of agencies for the “100 Homes in 100 Days” program in Pascagoula, Miss.
Overall, about 46 percent of the total $150 million allocated to the Community Recovery Program has been spent so far.
Katrina Aid Today
The Salvation Army is one of nine case management organizations participating in the Katrina Aid Today (KAT) program. KAT is a project of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the humanitarian and relief and development agency of the United Methodist Church, sponsored by the United Stated Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). KAT is a national case management consortium of social service and voluntary organizations dedicated to helping survivors rebuild lives.
As of August 10, 2007, KAT has opened 58,808 cases nationally; the total number of individuals served to date is 163,539. The total number of KAT cases opened by The Salvation Army is 7,575.
National Financial Summary
To date, the public has donated to The Salvation Army approximately $394.4 million for 2005 hurricane relief; to date, The Salvation Army has spent more than $239.6 million providing emergency assistance during the response and recovery phases of the event.
Additional committed funds include another $121 million for the elements of The Salvation Army’s long-term plans in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma and the KAT program.
Salvation Army disaster recovery programs are ongoing in several states. Remaining monies will continue to support disaster and long-term recovery efforts and a cessation date has not been set.
For more information visit The Salvation Army Southern Territory’s website www.uss.salvationarmy.org.
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