The Salvation Army makes me nervous. I see them all over the place like someone declared Martial Law. I don't think they will be much help if we have any real emergencies though.
You couldn't be more wrong.
I've worked as a communications volunteer with Salvation Army during fires, floods, and the OKC bombing. I was with them in Skiatook when an ammonium hydroxide pipeline ruptured. One of the other SA guys said, "When a disaster happens, the Red Cross goes to the television stations and the Salvation Army goes to work." I saw the proof of that first hand.
In Skiatook, the firefighters, paramedics, and police officers who'd responded from surrounding communities walked right past the sleek Red Cross van and came to the SA canteen truck for food and drinks.
In a flood on the Arkansas, the canteen roamed the impacted neighborhood, delivering water, soft drinks, and sandwiches to anyone who approached. I'm pretty sure some of the local kids had sugar highs from the sodas as they returned multiple times.
SA was in Catoosa after the tornado. They were up near Collinsville during a wildfire. They turned out for a huge chemical fire in BA. But I remember the bombing best. We ran a taxi service, shuttling people to and from the airport or the SA Thrift Stores. People who lived near the Murrah building had nothing but the clothes on their backs. SA simply gave them vouchers to use in the stores. I provided radio communications for the director, shadowing his every move. SA supplied food, water, coffee and whatever else was needed through their canteen at ground zero. They were on the scene within hours after the bombing and stayed for the duration.
SA spends more than 90% of their budget on delivering services to the poor and indigent. Yes, they're a church, but they don't have a high profile. They offer a service to people who would otherwise go without. You can be certain that if you make a donation to SA, it actually goes toward relieving human suffering, not into some bank account.
