PRESS RELEASE
Salvation Army to Begin Long-Term Recovery Work
in North Minneapolis
June 3, 2011 – The Salvation Army will officially begin its long-term recovery for North Minneapolis tornado survivors beginning Tuesday. On Monday morning families and individuals coming to The Salvation Army Worship and Service Center at 2024 Lyndale will be served through its regular social service programs. Qualifications for service will be based on need and available resources. To date, The Salvation Army has helped 4,853 tornado survivors and provided $132,000 worth of services including 52,000 pounds of food. In addition, Salvation Army mobile kitchens have served thousands of meals in the tornado zone.
"This is my neighborhood, these are my people," said Major Noel Mason, Salvation Army leader of the Lyndale center. "We aren't going anywhere. The Salvation Army was here before the storm serving, we rallied with supporters to meet this tragedy with increased service and we will be here for years to come."
For years the Lyndale location has been one of The Salvation Army's busiest locations serving 22,600 people last year alone.
"It is incredible that in 12 days since the storm we have served three times more people than usual," Mason said. "We realize there is more yet to do."
And The Salvation Army plans to do more. Its focus now is to help families whose homes were destroyed by the tornado and help those who need housing to cover some of those costs as resources allow.
The Salvation Army hopes to have information from FEMA assessments by next week in order to contact those families who qualify for assistance.
This weekend The Salvation Army mobile kitchens and crews will join the Red Cross to help the city feed the 2,000 volunteers rallied for the June 4 clean-up effort. Teams of Salvation Army volunteers will be on hand to distribute food and drinks at the staging location at Brookdale Mall.
Monetary donations for tornado relief can be made online below, by calling 800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769) or by sending a check to The Salvation Army, 2445 Prior Ave., Roseville, MN 55113. Make sure to designate your gift “metro storm.” You may also text "BLESSING" to 85944 to make a $10 donation, payable on your cell phone bill.
To receive tornado relief text alerts from The Salvation Army (up to three times per week), text "TORNADO" to 27138 and follow the prompts.
The Twin Cities Salvation Army serves more than 214,000 people a year through its 25 local centers of operation. Daily it serves 2,100 hot meals and shelters 900 people. More than 33,000 local volunteers help The Salvation Army provide these and other services, from child daycare to senior housing. To volunteer, call 651-746-3400.
