Salvation Army Works to Assist Indiana Flood, Storm Victims

Emergency Disaster Services teams have been deployed all across the state.

Salvation Army Continues To Distribute Food In Pennsylvania During Coronavirus Outbreak — Source: MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images / Getty

INDIANAPOLIS — The Salvation Army is doing what it can to help Hoosiers impacted by the recent storms and flooding.

In northwestern Indiana, there was a record number of power outages from the severe storms that started on Aug. 11. Most residents in Lake County lost power. Neighboring Laporte and Porter counties reported a ton of outages as well.

Flooding in east central Indiana has displaced thousands of people and damaged their property.

Samantha Hyde, Director of Community Relations with the Salvation Army in Indianapolis, told “The Hammer and Nigel Show” on Monday that Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) teams have been deployed all across Indiana, providing food, hydration, shelter, and other emergency assistance to impacted residents.

“Our resources are spread all around the state right now, Hyde said. “We’re trying to get volunteers together, and we’re working with our community partners.”

The Salvation Army of Anderson in Madison County has been sheltering displaced residents since Aug. 12. Hundreds of people were rescued from their homes as a result of record-breaking flooding. According to Hyde, there were about 500 homes that had to be evacuated.

“With these floods, the water just kept on coming up, and the rain kept coming,” said Hyde.

The Salvation Army of Henry County, located in New Castle, has been offering three meals each day to the public and has converted its gymnasium into a distribution center thanks to a generous donation from Walmart.

“They estimate around 600 households were evacuated, and of those, about half of the homes were severely damaged,” Hyde said of Henry County.

In many instances, Hoosiers are going back to homes that “will never be recoverable.”

Hyde said they have been blessed with a great turnout of volunteers ever since the storms rolled through Indiana last week.

“The neighbors of those communities that are directly impacted, they are really stepping up,” Hyde added.

Donations can be made to the Salvation Army at their website salvationarmyusa.org/in. More information can also be found on the Salvation Army’s social media pages.