By: Major Brenda Lane
Greetings from your local Salvation Army Service Center. I hope by now you and yours have reached a point where you can begin to settle in after the horrific storm that we all experienced a few weeks ago. While we in the Lehigh Acres area were hit with the hard winds and rain and many homes received some damage and had trees down, we were blessed that we weren’t hit with the worst part of the hurricane. We at The Salvation Army, have been in Disaster-Responder mode since the start of the storm. As soon as it was safe to be out, our teams began loading up trucks and vans to deliver food and water to the First Responders and those in the areas that were ultimately destroyed. The wreckage was more than we could’ve imagined. From day one, The Salvation Army has been there for those who have been traumatized and left with nothing to very little of what has been their life. We have offered a hot meal, a warm blanket, a hot cup of coffee, a hug, or just a listening ear. Face after face was nothing more than a blank stare. In spite of the challenges we faced, we at The Salvation Army leaned heavily on God and the strength He gave us to continue caring for those needing our help. It will take a very long time for the hardest-hit areas to recover and rebuild.
The Salvation Army will continue to serve and help in any way we can. All of us can play a part in the recovery process. You can support us by bringing canned goods and nonperishable food items to our office. We need financial support as well. It takes a village, right? We need to be the village for those who have been touched by the storm and are now needing assistance. We are seeing a great deal more guests needing assistance with electric bills, food, help to apply for FEMA, and filing insurance claims. It has been necessary for us to add additional staff to our office to help handle the additional requests for assistance. This has added a bit of a financial burden for us. However, we want to be able to serve all who come to us for various needs. I know these are very difficult times as it relates to the cost of everyday living. We want to continue being present to assist the community of Lehigh Acres. However, the additional expense of added staff and the assistance we continue to offer in the way of food, water, tarps, and clean-up kits are not cheap. We need your help. Every dollar received, $.93 goes back into serving you the Lehigh family. So, if you can see your way clearly, we would appreciate your financial help in any way you can give.
Next month we will have our Red Kettles out and the Bells will begin ringing!! This is another way in which you can help. When you see a Red Kettle, be sure to drop your contribution in. We are hiring Bell Ringer now. If you or someone you know might be interested in making a little extra money for the holidays, please come by our office and fill out an application in the next couple of weeks. We are located at 25 Homestead Rd. N #42 and our phone number is 239-491-6071. Come join our team and help make this Christmas season a little brighter for those we will serve with toys and food for Christmas Day.
