The Salvation Army USA: Eastern Territory
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NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT United States of America 20 THE SALVATION ARMY FRONT LINES OF HOPE 02 NATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT United States of America “WHEN THE SALVATION ARMY SHOWS UP, THEY BRING THEIR WHOLE BAG. IF YOU NEED A BLANKET, THEY GIVE IT TO YOU. THE SALVATION ARMY IF YOU’RE THIRSTY, THEY GIVE YOU WATER. IF YOU’RE COLD, THEY’LL FIND A PLACE FOR YOU INSIDE. THERE’S COMFORT Eight forty-six, nine-one-one. That moment stands alone, transforming a nation FOR YOU, IF THAT’S NECESSARY. I FEEL LIKE I COULD ASK THE SALVATION ARMY ANYTHING AND THEY’D FIND A WAY TO as if startled from a prosperous slumber. From peace to war, from complacency PHOTO: JENNIFER GOFF to commitment, from selfishness to service, that morning changed this nation forever. And for thousands of officers, soldiers and volunteers for The Salvation GET IT FOR ME. AND THEY DO THAT FOR EVERYONE.” NEW YORK FIREFIGHTER LIEUTENANT JOE HUBER Army, it meant immediate mobilization. In war, that’s what an army does. ithin moments of the terrorist attacks of begins with the very practical—meals, water, warmth— copies. A police sergeant told her it helped his men feel a hundreds of volunteer amateur radio operators allowed Dear Friends of The Salvation Army September 11, The Salvation Army’s response but it rarely ends there. Major Ralph Jackson found a part of the recovery process. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network (SATERN) to relay was underway. Disaster-relief specialists trav- young paramedic at Ground Zero who was so overcome The Salvation Army offers both the gentle hands of information on the status of family members affected by the eled immediately to the crash sites in New York with grief that she could not continue to work. As he com- compassion and the broad shoulders of hard work. attack. For more conventional communications, The On the morning of September 11, The Salvation Army was W City, the Pentagon and rural Pennsylvania. The forted and prayed with her, he was encircled by two other In a single day following the attacks, the Army unloaded wheels—and axles—of key support functions began Salvation Army officers and a soldier—an impromptu 60 tractor-trailer loads of donated supplies, organizing and on the scene in New York before the clouds of dust even turning as a 70-foot disaster services trailer was sent from prayer team. storing nearly a million square feet of those supplies in 24 Officers prepare their hearts with prayer and make plans to The Salvation Army’s Central territory headquarters in “Regardless of how seasoned these rescue workers warehouses in and around New York City. A network of help the victims at the World Trade Center. settled, meeting—as it always does—very practical Illinois to New York City. From Florida, a 48-foot field are, nothing can compare to the gut-wrenching devasta- needs. Water for the thirsty. Food for the hungry. Rest and kitchen was sent to the World Trade Center, capable of tion we all witnessed,” Major Shotzberger adds. providing thousands of meals per day. In the Midwest, “We found a lot of people who would literally break encouragement for those weary on the front lines of Salvation Army officers were sent to dozens of airports to down when you gave them an opportunity to ventilate and help stranded travelers. In the West, Salvation Army tell you how they felt,” says Major Bert Tanner, who organ- America’s recovery. What was done in New York was counselors were dispatched to airports in Los Angeles ized the counseling effort at the Pentagon. Counselors at and San Francisco—destinations of the fated airliners— the Pentagon coined a term—“engagement counseling”— done as well at the Pentagon, in the hills of western in case grieving families needed help. for the process of getting rescue workers to share their Pennsylvania and for stranded travelers across the land. “You see the tangled buildings and twisted rubble,” concerns through simple conversation at key moments. PHOTO: WARREN MAYE Major Molly Shotzberger recalls of her first moments at “People had a lot of stuff they just needed to work It is done every day in the lives of uncounted people the World Trade Center site, “and you ask, ‘My God, how through. The best way to do that is immediately,” says Joel can anyone get out of here alive?’ When I first got to the Jenkins, an army reservist who was called away from his throughout society. Meeting the needs of the hungry and scene, some firemen were bringing out someone in a body pulpit in Charlottesville, Virginia, to serve as a chaplain at bag. I was choking back tears, but you have to take a deep the Pentagon. “The Salvation Army really became a big the hurting is central to our mission. It is what we do, breath and move on.” part of strengthening the teams to do their work.” because of who we are, because of Whom we serve. By the time any rescuer at the site needed food, The “Our job was to listen to what they said, offer some Salvation Army was there, providing much more than food. comfort, and then see where they were taking the con- May God bless you. “When The Salvation Army shows up, they bring their versation,” adds Jeff Jellets, Salvation Army disaster whole bag,”says New York firefighter Lieutenant Joe Huber. services coordinator for the Southern territory. “Often, “If you need a blanket, they give it to you. If you’re thirsty, people had seen such horrific sights that right away they PHOTO: CAPTAIN EDUARD A. ZUNIGA they give you water. If you’re cold, they’ll find a place for you would open up. Cadets from the School for Officer Training inside. There’s comfort for you, if that’s necessary. I feel like “A lot of times it would end with them asking us for prayer.” (top) breathe through dust masks as they serve I could ask The Salvation Army anything and they’d find a In Pennsylvania, Major Claranne Meitrott brought workers in New York. An American flag way to get it for me. And they do that for everyone.” Bibles to give away at services held near the crash site. COMMISSIONER JOHN BUSBY (above) rises above the ruins. The Salvation Army’s commitment to service always Soon, police officers stationed at the morgue asked for 25 PHOTO: BRIAN MORRIS National Commander Dear Friends of The Salvation Army Salvation Army established a toll-free phone bank and porting the disaster relief effort. Wal-Mart Stores, Ford Cynthia Yobbs and other family members came to staffed it around the clock with volunteers and officers Motor Company, PepsiCo, Yahoo, Thomas Kinkade, AT&T, help—sorting donated goods at the Army’s Arlington, from around the country. Do it Best Corp., Burger King, McDonalds, Tyson Foods, Virginia warehouse—in memory of their father, Tony Bai. A I've always been proud of my association with The Salvation With airports closed for the first days after the attack, Outback Steakhouse and Dixie Cups contributed cash, World War II veteran, Tony Bai had donated his time after Salvation Army camps were opened to shelter stranded material and personnel, or a combination. September 11, organizing a production line in the medica- Army, perhaps this year more than ever. Their extraordinary travelers. In Wichita, the Army provided housing and In total, more than $84 million has been contributed to tion area supporting the Pentagon. That evening, Tony told kosher meals for a group of Orthodox Jews. The Salvation Army in response to September 11. his children and grandchildren about the efforts, and he response, in a time of crisis, made all of us feel very proud. As the anthrax threat unfolded, the District of Columbia Of that sum, $631 came from Rosario Yberra, who prayed with them. While watching television later in the asked The Salvation Army to assist in the massive testing works at Santa Anita Racetrack’s concession stand in evening, the retired anti-aircraft gunner was—as The What The Salvation Army did for firefighters in New York program, providing food and logistical support for the hun- Southern California, selling coffee and pastries. On Friday, Salvation Army says—“promoted to Glory.” City and rescue workers at the Pentagon, it did as well— dreds of people tested for the potentially deadly bacteria. September 21, Rosario put up a cardboard sign declaring “He was our hero,” says daughter Margaret Clay. “We And throughout the process, for months and months that all tips would be donated to The Salvation Army’s returned to the Army’s warehouse to honor him by pitching in.” without headlines or attention—for the homeless family in following September 11, The Salvation Army was on the relief fund. Her tips that morning were more than five times The investment of lives in lives has always been the scene at the World Trade Center to meet the needs of the what she would normally make. stock in trade for The Salvation Army, manifested in mas- Cincinnati, for the single mother in Los Angeles and for the recovery workers. She gave the money to The Salvation Army because of sive efforts such as the recovery after September 11, as “For me at Ground Zero,” says one New York firefight- the way her father had always talked about the organiza- well as in the quiet restoration of lives around the country broken life in Seattle—meeting human needs without PHOTO: MAJOR TODD SMITH er, “The Salvation Army wasn’t just about food and cloth- tion.