PRESS RELEASE
The Salvation Army Continues
Battle against ND, MN Floods
March 26, 2009 – The Salvation Army continues to provide critical aid, including food, hydration, clean-up kits and emotional/spiritual care to North Dakota and Minnesota residents threatened by flood waters of historic proportion.
Since Friday, when volunteers first began filling sand bags and building levies to ward off the swelling Red River, The Salvation Army has provided support to hundreds of thousands of individuals. Across North Dakota and Minnesota, 344 Salvation Army staff members and volunteers have worked nearly 4,000 hours to serve more than 41,500 meals, 123,000 snacks and 102,000 drinks.
Ten mobile feeding units (canteens and vans) are roving the streets of Fargo, where three stationary feeding sites are providing nourishment to volunteers and residents as they fill an estimated 25,000 sandbags per hour. Two other mobile feeding units are stationed in Grand Forks, one in Crookston, and another is en route to Bismarck.
In Fargo alone, to-date, The Salvation Army has spent 2,600 hours serving more than 38,500 prepared meals, 123,000 snack, and 13,600 drinks to workers and volunteers at flood prevention sites.
“The Salvation Army’s operation is vital in supporting the people fighting to save our community,” said Captain Moore. “This is a race against time. The propensity for great property loss is more and more evident with each foot the river rises.”
Due to melting snow, flooding is projected to crest at 41 feet on Saturday—23 feet above flood level and higher than the historic Fargo flood of 1997—setting volunteers back about 40% in their sandbagging efforts. As of today, the Fargo Salvation Army will move to a 24-hour operation and will remain so for as long as needed.
In Bismarck, Salvation Army staff and volunteers have been providing relief since 5 a.m. on Wednesday—just hours after more than 2,000 men, women, and children were evacuated from their homes due to rising flood waters.
Yesterday, the team of 80 served 3,000 meals to more than 1,000 volunteers and 40 Army National Guard soldiers who were preparing sandbags to help combat the rising waters.
Shelly Sizer, Chief Warrant Officer for the Army National Guard, says, “What is being provided by The Salvation Army has been absolutely outstanding for the morale of volunteers and soldiers.”
The Salvation Army is on site at numerous other locations throughout North Dakota and Minnesota, providing critical assistance as needed by each community.
So far The Salvation Army has spent more than $70,000 on this effort. Donations to The Salvation Army can be made by calling 800-SAL-ARMY or online by clicking below.
