Thursday February 3, 2005 – The Salvation Army in Canada is no longer seeking donations for its South Asia Disaster Relief effort.

“The generosity and kindness of Canadians continues to amaze me,” says Graham Moore, Public Relations and Development Secretary. “Even now, more than one month after the tsunami devastated much of South Asia, donations are coming in every day.”

The Salvation Army, active throughout South Asia for over 100 years, immediately began providing relief within hours of the disaster. Now that the need for emergency assistance has diminished, the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase has begun. On January 18th, the Sri Lankan government allocated 344 acres of land to The Salvation Army to build 1000 family homes in Galagodawatte, in the district of Galle.

The Canadian Salvation Army’s South Asia Disaster Campaign has raised $4.8 million in public contributions. “While we expect to be counting donations for a few more days, we are confident that with publicly donated funds and the Government matching grant, we now have enough to follow through with our long-term re-development plans,” says Graham Moore. “The Salvation Army values the trust of the public. Our donors can be assured that their contributions will continue to go directly to this effort for as long as it takes to help the people of South Asia rebuild their lives and their communities.

The Salvation Army serves in 109 countries throughout the world. It began its work in Canada in 1882 as a Christian movement with an acute social conscience. With more than 120 years experience, The Salvation Army continues to provide professional services that are relevant to the diverse needs of vulnerable people and their communities.