Attention News Editors:

Second Flight of Evacuees and Children for Adoption Arrives in Canada

OTTAWA, Jan. 27 /CNW/ – Salvation Army Emergency and Disaster Services staff were on hand for the second time this week to welcome Haitian evacuees and children bound for adoption by Canadian families upon their arrival at Ottawa International Airport. The flight touched down in Ottawa just before 2:00 p.m. carrying approximately 52 orphans and 71 evacuees.

Salvation Army staff and volunteers provided winter coats, snowsuits, scarves, winter boots, hats and mittens to evacuees, many of whom were wearing summer clothing when they arrived. The Salvation Army also served evacuees a hot meal and tea and coffee from its Ballard Vehicle, which contains a mobile kitchen and washroom facilities.

The evacuees were very thankful to receive a hot meal and coffee after such an incredible ordeal,” said Michael Maidment, spokesperson for The Salvation Army. “Its amazing the impact a cup of coffee and a warm winter coat can have on a family who has just been through one of the worst disasters in Haiti’s history.”

The Salvation Army has been working in Haiti since 1950 and its personnel who were affected by the earthquake are now working to assist others in need. The Salvation Army in Haiti operates three medical facilities, schools that serve at least 10,000 children, feeding programs, children’s homes and church-related activities.

Please support The Salvation Army’s relief effort in Haiti. Financial contributions can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769), by visiting our website, www.SalvationArmy.ca, or by texting HAITI to 45678 for most carriers in Canada, including Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility, Telus and Virgin Mobile to make $5 donation. You can also give by mailing donations to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P4, or dropping off financial donations at the closest Salvation Army unit in your area. Donors should specify their gift to the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund.

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 119 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, provides shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community. News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca.

For further information: or to arrange interviews, please contact: GTA: Captain John Murray, APR, The Salvation Army, (416) 998-0117, john_murray@can.salvationarmy.org; NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION: Michael Maidment, Area Director, Public Relations and Development, Federal Government Liaison Officer, The Salvation Army, Ontario East Division, P (613) 233-8428 ext. 226, C (613) 795-8898, E michael_maidment@can.salvationarmy.org; www.SalvationArmy.ca

Attention News Editors:

Salvation Army Assists Haitian Evacuees Upon Arrival in Canada

OTTAWA, Jan. 24 /CNW/ – Salvation Army Emergency and Disaster Services staff were on hand early Sunday morning to assist Haitian evacuees upon their arrival at Ottawa International Airport. The Air Canada aircraft carrying approximately 24 orphans ranging in age from 11 months to 8 years old touched down just before 7:00 a.m. local time.

Salvation Army staff provided winter coats, snowsuits, scarves, hats and mittens to evacuees, many of whom were wearing summer clothing. Wind chill values approached -16 degrees as the approximately 100 people on the flight left the plane and entered the hanger.

We were thrilled to be able welcome evacuees and provide them with warm clothing” said Michael Maidment, spokesperson for The Salvation Army who was on scene. “It’s another way in which The Salvation Army is assisting victims of this horrific tragedy.”

Salvation Army staff were able to access a Salvation Army Thrift Store late last night to stock up on warm clothing for evacuees and stuffed toys for the children.

The Salvation Army has been working in Haiti since 1950 and its personnel who were affected by the earthquake are now working to assist others in need. The Salvation Army in Haiti operates three medical facilities, schools that serve at least 10,000 children, feeding programs, children’s homes and church-related activities.

Please support The Salvation Army’s relief effort in Haiti. Financial contributions can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769), by visiting our website, www.SalvationArmy.ca, or by texting HAITI to 45678 for most carriers in Canada, including Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility, Telus and Virgin Mobile to make $5 donation.

You can also give by mailing donations to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P4, or dropping off financial donations at the closest Salvation Army unit in your area. Donors should specify their gift to the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund.

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 119 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, provides shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction.

When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca

For further information: or to arrange interviews, please contact: GTA: Captain John Murray, APR, The Salvation Army, (416) 998-0117, john_murray@can.salvationarmy.org; NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION: Michael Maidment, The Salvation Army, (613) 795-8898, Michael_maidment@can.salvationarmy.org

Toronto, ON January 20, 2010 – The Salvation Army in Canada & Bermuda continues to serve the victims in Haiti as a part of its disaster response plan. In cooperation with Salvation Army teams from the United States and the United Kingdom, 7,000 Haitians were given a five-day supply of food on Monday and hundreds more, including infants and orphans received medical care from Salvation Army doctors.

A Canadian team is now on the ground, assisting with relief efforts and participating in long-term planning. A supply line from south Florida to Port-au-Prince has been established to deliver aid and supplies, allowing for the delivery of hundreds of thousands of meals by next week.

A 14-person medical team continues to provide care to hundreds, suturing wounds and treating broken bones. At the Army’s orphanage, two doctors and a nurse were able to administer formula and oral electrolyte solution to dozens of orphans left with nothing following the earthquake.

“Canadians have generously donated $2 million to support The Salvation Army’s relief efforts and we are very grateful,” said Graham Moore, Territorial Secretary for Public Relations and Development. “However, the immediate need for ongoing support remains vital.”

The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) is standing by to assist the public with Health and Welfare requests from individuals seeking information on family members in the affected area of Haiti. To submit a request, please go to www.satern.org and click on the “Health and Welfare Information Request” link.

The Salvation Army began its work in Haiti in 1950. Currently, services offered include 3 medical facilities, social service institutions and dozens of schools serving more than 10,000 children.

Please support The Salvation Army’s relief effort in Haiti. Financial contributions can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769), by visiting our website, www.SalvationArmy.ca, or by texting HAITI to 45678 for most carriers in Canada, including Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility, Telus and Virgin Mobile to make $5 donation. You can also give by mailing donations to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P4, or dropping off financial donations at the closest Salvation Army unit in your area. Donors should specify their gift to the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund.

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 119 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, provides shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction.

When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca.

For further information please contact:

Andrew Burditt
Territorial Public Relations Director
The Salvation Army
416-845-8231
andrew_burditt@can.salvationarmy.org

Salvation Army personnel from Canada are now on the ground in Haiti assisting with relief efforts and participating in long-term planning with Salvation Army disaster response workers and medical teams from the U.S. and the U.K.

When the quake hit, more than 700 officers/pastors and staff permanently stationed in Haiti responded immediately to the needs of the people. Recent reports state that:
• a mobile kitchen from the Dominican Republic is serving food and water at a medical site in Port-au-Prince;
• a supply line from south Florida to Port-au-Prince is delivering aid and supplies to disaster response teams and will send hundreds of thousands more meals by next week;
• a 14-person medical team, including 8 doctors, continue to administer medical aid;
• more than 6,000 people are sleeping and receiving aid each night in The Salvation Army compound in Port-au-Prince.
• And, on January 18 Salvation Army staff provided a five-day supply of food to more than 7,000 people in less than two hours;

At International Headquarters in London, and in various countries throughout the Caribbean, as well as in the U.S. and Canada, The Salvation Army is working with corporate partners and vendors to send bulk food, pre-packed meals, bottled water, tents, lanterns and other supplies along with several 15,000-gallon water purification units and multiple mobile hospitals.

To date, The Salvation Army in Canada has raised $2 million to support its ongoing efforts to serve the victims of Haiti. More than $150,000 has been raised through the Text-to-Donate program.

Please support The Salvation Army’s relief effort in Haiti. Financial contributions can be made by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769), by donating online, www.SalvationArmy.ca, by mailing donations to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P4, or dropping off financial donations at the closest Salvation Army unit in your area. Donors should specify their gift to the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund.

Text-to-Donate
Canadians can make a $5 donation to The Salvation Army’s efforts in Haiti by texting the word HAITI to 45678 from any Rogers Wireless, Telus, Bell Mobility or Virgin Mobile phone. Donors will then receive a message asking them to confirm their donation with a YES reply.

Mobilization Continues for The Salvation Army’s Earthquake Response at Home and Abroad

Alexandria, VA (January 15, 2010)

– An initial Salvation Army assessment team is on the ground in Haiti and en route to the capital city of Port Au Prince. Once there, the team will liaison with Salvation Army personnel already on site in Haiti, where the Army has had a presence since 1950. As with all such relief efforts, The Salvation Army’s initial focus will be to assess the immediate needs of the people affected by the earthquake, then utilize its resources to mobilize and ship food, water and other critical necessities to where they are most needed.

On the homefront, hundreds of volunteers will work through the weekend to prepare and package one million ready-to-eat meals at the El Dorado Convention Center in El Dorado, Kansas to support Salvation Army relief efforts in Haiti. The meals – which consist of rice, soy protein, freeze-dried vegetable and vitamins and can be cooked in boiling water – come courtesy of Numana Inc. The million meals will total more than 150,000 pounds once boxed. No time-table has been set for the delivery of the meals, but The Salvation Army is currently coordinating with other agencies to get these supplies where they are needed. An additional 250,000 meals, also prepared by Numana Inc., are currently awaiting shipment from Des Moines, Iowa.

We saw a devastating earthquake strike Haiti this week,” said Lt. Col. Dan Starrett, Executive Director of The Salvation Army World Services Office. “Now, donor generosity is striking back.”

One Salvation Army facility, or compound, includes a home for more than 50 children; a school with a daily attendance of 1,500 children; a medical clinic caring for 150-200 people daily; and a church that on any typical Sunday welcomes nearly 1,000 people. The facility is less than 10 minutes from the National Palace and is in an area known as St. Martin that is home to predominantly poor living in the nation’s capital.

According to reports from Salvation Army staff in Port au Prince, no one in the compound was injured during the earthquake, but the children’s home, the clinic and church suffered major damage. Several smaller buildings, including residences, have collapsed completely.

The second compound that houses Salvation Army administrative offices is being used as an emergency operations center; damage was slight to this compound, according to Salvation Army reports from Haiti. The Bethel Clinic, The Salvation Army’s hospital in Fond-des-Negres (75 miles west of Port-au-Prince) reports some minor damage, but no injuries.

Donations can be made via, phone, online or by postal mail:

Donors should specify their gift to the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund.

Call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769)

Visit www.SalvationArmy.ca

Mail to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1P4

Or, make an in-person donation to your closest Salvation Army unit

Army school, clinic damaged; staff on-site organizing emergency response

The Salvation Army is mobilizing resources and personnel to assist with the international relief effort in Haiti following a severe earthquake Tuesday that damaged much of the country’s infrastructure, housing and commercial buildings.

The Salvation Army has had a presence in Haiti since 1950 and currently operates schools, clinics, a hospital, feeding programs, children’s homes and church-related activities spread across two major facilities in Port au Prince, close to the epicenter of the earthquake and at other locations in the country.

One of the facilities, or compounds as it is referred to, includes a home for more than 50 children; a school with a daily attendance of 1,500 children; a medical clinic caring for 150-200 people daily; and a church that on any typical Sunday welcomes nearly 1,000 people. The facility is less than 10 minutes from the National Palace and is in an area known as St. Martin that’s home to predominantly poor living in the nation’s capital.

According to reports from Salvation Army staff in Port au Prince, no one in the compound was injured during the earthquake, but the children’s home, the clinic and church suffered major damage. Several smaller buildings, including residences, have collapsed completely. People were sleeping in the parking lot overnight, while severe aftershocks continued to affect the country.
The second compound that houses Salvation Army administrative offices is being used as an emergency operations center; damage was slight to this compound, according to Salvation Army reports from Haiti.

The Salvation Army hospital in Fond-des-Negres (75 miles west of Port-au-Prince) reports some minor damage, but no injuries.

The Salvation Army’s World Services Office, based in Alexandria, VA, has committed $50,000 to the relief effort and the organization is prepared to commit more financial resources, as well as food, water and other emergency supplies, to assist in the recovery.

The organization is preparing to send more than 44,000 lbs of pre-packaged emergency rations to the country, along with emergency disaster teams. The Salvation Army is working with other agencies to identify appropriate transportation for the food. As with all such relief efforts, The Salvation Army will be a part of the initial emergency response while assessing longer term needs of the residents.