How to Help The Salvation Army Respond to COVID-19
from New Frontier Chronicle, the official Salvation Army publication in the Western US.
In recent weeks, many Americans have been asked to shelter at home and social distance themselves in the effort to halt the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). While unquestionably necessary in the fight against this pandemic, an unfortunate effect of social distancing has also been economic struggles for those already living paycheck-to-paycheck. Many have had their work hours reduced or have been laid off indefinitely.
We recognize that you might wish to help but could be unsure of how to do so safely and effectively.
For that reason, we want to share a handful of ways people like you are already helping us to serve those affected by coronavirus.
Donate financially
The quickest and safest way to help those in need is to donate financially online. When you make a gift, your donation goes right back into the community of your billing zip code. Our local unit will use your generous gift to purchase the exact needed supplies, which also empowers local economies that could be struggling from coronavirus.
You can also make a $10 donation to The Salvation Army via mobile phone by texting ‘GIVE’ to 52000. This will automatically add a one-time donation to your next mobile phone bill.
Create your own online fundraiser
At FundraiseForGood.org, you can become a powerful online fundraiser for The Salvation Army in your community today. With a few quick steps, you can create a fundraiser, set a goal, write your own story of why you’re helping, and then share among friends, family and acquaintances.
Encourage others to help
Helping our neighbors in need has always been a community effort, and that’s never been truer than now. The coronavirus impacts every community and individual. In addition to the direct threat of the disease, many now struggle more than ever to pay their bills and put food on the table because their work hours have been reduced or they’ve been laid off indefinitely.
These are people in your community—maybe your relative, maybe your next-door neighbor.
So, we’re calling upon those who remain capable of donating money or supplies to help our neighbors through a time of increased need.
We encourage you to also call upon your friends and network to give their support as they can. Their neighbor and their community need them, and they want to help. They might just need to hear how from someone like you.
Donate needed supplies
Contact your local Salvation Army unit for a list of needed supplies. Our personnel are ready to receive your donation while providing comfortable social distance. Many units need basic items like non-perishable foods and hygiene supplies.
Not comfortable going out to shop?
Contact your local Salvation Army for a list of needed supplies, and then shop for them online. You can either have the items delivered to your home for our local team to pick up, or you can have supplies delivered directly to your local Salvation Army.
You can also shop for the specific needs of your local Salvation Army using Walmart’s Registry for Good. Visit the Registry for Good website to find a participating location near you.
Donate social media posts
Public awareness of how The Salvation Army helps struggling communities is essential to our ability to make an impact because the public only supports the causes they know and understand.
You can provide powerful support by simply sharing social media posts and talking about how The Salvation Army is helping in your community and across the country.
So, we ask you to consider donating a social media post. This could mean posting about how you have donated or volunteered, or it could mean sharing a post from the local or national Salvation Army page.
Follow the New Frontier Chronicle social media pages, along with that of your local Salvation Army, and share posts with your friends. You can also share a link to SalvationArmyUSA.org/covid19 to share more about the Army’s response across the U.S. This USA Today article about volunteers with The Salvation Army is also a great item to share on your pages.
Spread the word
A special edition DO GOOD DISPATCH from New Frontier Publications is available to Salvation Army units now in print. It can also be accessed online in a printable or sharable PDF format. It provides a brief introduction to the Army, an inspirational message from Territorial Commander Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder, and information on the Army’s response to COVID-19 across the West and around the world.
Volunteer locally
If you would like to volunteer, please contact your local Salvation Army to find out more. While each local Salvation Army unit is taking precautions to ensure volunteer safety, we encourage volunteering strictly to those who are not of high vulnerability to coronavirus.