This is why we are all here
Reposted from the Salvation Army Website
February 28th, 2011
The Salvation Army is currently assisting in welfare centres at Pioneer Stadium, Burnside High School and in Rangiora. Its personnel fed 4500 meals to approximately 1800 people yesterday.
The Cowles Stadium welfare center, closed yesterday due to health and disease fears, reopens today as a drop-in center serving with light refreshments. The Salvation Army is also providing food to 200 people at Springfield Road Marae. Yesterday was an extremely busy day for staff at The Salvation Army’s Community Ministries. At Linwood Community Ministries, staff carried out 490 interviews, with food parcels provided as required. Four hundred food additional food parcels were delivered to those identified as in need by Suburban Squads during the day. Sixty drivers, including volunteers from other churches, delivered the parcels. Demand is expected to be just as high today.
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Today, 56 psychosocial Salvation Army staff are at work. Forty of these as part of suburban support teams, with the remainder shared between welfare centres and five Work & Income centres, including one in Ashburton. Those working in this area are now encountering numbers of bereaved people.
February 28th, 2011
The Salvation Army is currently assisting in welfare centres at Pioneer Stadium, Burnside High School and in Rangiora. Its personnel fed 4500 meals to approximately 1800 people yesterday.
The Cowles Stadium welfare center, closed yesterday due to health and disease fears, reopens today as a drop-in center serving with light refreshments. The Salvation Army is also providing food to 200 people at Springfield Road Marae. Yesterday was an extremely busy day for staff at The Salvation Army’s Community Ministries. At Linwood Community Ministries, staff carried out 490 interviews, with food parcels provided as required. Four hundred food additional food parcels were delivered to those identified as in need by Suburban Squads during the day. Sixty drivers, including volunteers from other churches, delivered the parcels. Demand is expected to be just as high today.
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February 25th, 2011
The Salvation Army continues to serve people in welfare centres. Major aftershocks are still being felt, and our people report seeing some very distressed people. Last night saw an influx of 250 people from the evacuated suburb of Redcliffs. Today, 56 psychosocial Salvation Army staff are at work. Forty of these as part of suburban support teams, with the remainder shared between welfare centres and five Work & Income centres, including one in Ashburton. Those working in this area are now encountering numbers of bereaved people.
The Salvation Army is currently asking for cash donations from elsewhere in the country at the moment, preferring these to donations of food or other goods. A long-term response will be required of The Salvation Army, and there will be plenty of opportunity to support people in Christchurch in different ways in the future as needs are more clearly understood.
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February 24th, 2011
Salvation Army church members in Christchurch are mainly involved in the feeding programme. Emergency services coordinator Major Rex Cross says, ‘The Salvation Army was up and running almost instantly. We are thrilled with the local response and realize that it’s going to be a lot harder and longer this time.’ Those on breakfast duty at Cowles Stadium were about to start serving when they engineers told them that the building might be in a condemned state. They moved outside and served breakfast there.
Reinforcement personnel are boosting the psychosocial team that was already established as part of the ongoing recovery work from the September 2010 earthquake. The Salvation Army has been asked to provide up to 40 staff to accompany assessment teams (one Salvationist per team) that will travel through affected areas. Salvationists have been asked to assess social and welfare needs.
Those on the ground report that the situation in Christchurch remains chaotic. They are raising concerns about needs in outer Christchurch suburbs that are not yet well understood.
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February 23rd, 2011
The Salvation Army has re-launched its Canterbury Earthquake Appeal in expectation of great humanitarian need in the aftermath of today’s 6.3 magnitude earthquake.
The Salvation Army is mobilizing its response to the quake and officers, staff and volunteers across the country are standing-by to provide relief and support to affected Cantabrians. The Salvation Army in Australia has again offered its support.
National fundraising coordinator Major Robbie Ross says the region has suffered terribly since September and a tremendous effort is now required to help those already living with the hardships and psychological effects of the original quake and its aftershocks.
“Our experience with the September quake showed us the great emotional shock such an event can have on people – and now there is the added dimension of some people grieving for loved ones,” he says.
“There will be a myriad of material needs by those who have lost possessions and homes. We are appealing for cash donations to strengthen our response.”
86% of your donation will go directly to the people affected by the past 5 months of devastating earthquakes.
The Salvation Army is mobilizing its response to the quake and officers, staff and volunteers across the country are standing-by to provide relief and support to affected Cantabrians. The Salvation Army in Australia has again offered its support.
National fundraising coordinator Major Robbie Ross says the region has suffered terribly since September and a tremendous effort is now required to help those already living with the hardships and psychological effects of the original quake and its aftershocks.
“Our experience with the September quake showed us the great emotional shock such an event can have on people – and now there is the added dimension of some people grieving for loved ones,” he says.
“There will be a myriad of material needs by those who have lost possessions and homes. We are appealing for cash donations to strengthen our response.”
86% of your donation will go directly to the people affected by the past 5 months of devastating earthquakes.
