Oklahoma City, OK (October 6, 2016) – The Salvation Army offices in Central Oklahoma will be busy serving those affected by the effects of Hurricane Matthew. Kenny Kelly, Emergency Disaster Services Coordinator for the Central Oklahoma Area Command, will deploy to the Incident Command Center in Brunswick, Georgia to serve as the Operations Chief for The Salvation Army operations in St. Mary’s. As the Operations Chief, Kelly will have the overall responsibility for managing all direct service activities such as mass feeding and case management for the disaster relief operation.

Cindy Fuller, Divisional Communications Director, is being deployed to the Incident Command Center in Brunswick as well as the Public Information Officer (PIO). As the PIO, Fuller will be responsible for communicating critical information about The Salvation Army’s disaster relief activities to internal and external audiences, including the media, the general public and other Salvation Army units.

The Arkansas-Oklahoma Division is also deploying Officers from Conway, Mountain Home and Springdale, Arkansas as well as Enid, Lawton, Muskogee and Stillwater, Oklahoma to help those impacted by the Hurricane.

Resources from 13 states already mobilized for storm response.

Salvation Army disaster units from Florida to North Carolina are mobilizing to respond to Hurricane Matthew, a powerful tropical cyclone which is poised to cause extensive damage in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The Salvation Army is also activating resources from across the country to support the recovery effort; this includes personnel and equipment from the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. Additional resources from across the United States are on stand-by.

The Salvation Army has 75 mobile feeding units, capable of producing 1,500 meals per day, are stationed in states threatened by Hurricane Matthew. These include 32 units in Florida, 22 units in Georgia, and 20 canteens in the North & South Carolina Division. In addition, The Salvation Army has already activated the following additional units from other divisions:

· Three Kentucky & Tennessee divisional canteens have been deployed to Greenville, SC
· Three Maryland & West Virginia divisional canteens have been deployed to Raleigh, NC
· Six Alabama, Louisiana & Mississippi divisional canteens have been deployed to Florida
· Ten Texas divisional canteens have been requested to deploy to a temporary staging area in Tallahassee
· Seven National Capital & Virginia divisional canteens are on standby.

Two field kitchens, capable of producing 15,000 per day are stationed in Florida. A third field kitchen from Texas is being deployed to the temporary staging area in Tallahassee. Two additional field kitchens, located in Texas and Mississippi, are on-stand-by.

The Salvation Army has deployed two satellite communications units in support of disaster operations; one unit is deploying to Florida and the second is stationed in North Carolina.

Salvation Army liaisons are being dispatched to state emergency operations centers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina and the FEMA Regional Response Coordination Center in Atlanta. The Salvation Army is also staffing numerous county emergency operations centers in impacted states.

How People Can Help
The best way to help after a disaster is to make a financial donation to the charity of your choice. Cash is flexible, can be used immediately in response to a crisis, and allows disaster relief organizations to purchase exactly what is needed, when it’s needed. Cash gives relief organizations the means to procure supplies near the affected area, which cuts down on transportation time and cost. Monetary contributions also support local economies and ensure that businesses can operate when relief supplies diminish.

It’s easy to support The Salvation Army’s disaster relief program:

• Donate Online: http://give.salvationarmyusa.org/hurricane_matthew
• Donate By Mail: The Salvation Army PO BOX 1959, Atlanta, GA 30301
  Please designate ‘Hurricane Matthew’ on all checks.
• Donate By Phone: 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
• Donate By Text: Text STORM to 51555 to receive a donation link for easy mobile giving

About The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from 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. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.