Message From the Divisional Commander
August 2020
Dear Friend,
Amidst all the uncertainty, we continue to thank God for the blessings he continues to provide as we serve those in the most need. March through June, The Salvation Army has provided over 112,000 meals, beverages and snacks, over 8,000 food boxes, 12,647 nights of emergency shelter and over 3,000 masks and hygiene kits to those in the most need in Alaska. In addition, Salvation Army officers provided 5,563 Alaskans seeking emotional and spiritual care during the pandemic with a listening ear and words of encouragement. The Salvation Army’s national emotional and spiritual care hotline, 844-458-4673, received even more calls to trained volunteers.
In Ketchikan, Salvation Army officers provided 80 food boxes to the nearby community of Metlakatla who reached out for support. Juneau officers served daily meals to go and provided food boxes to those in need in Alaska’s capital city. With a grant provided by ConocoPhillips, one of our Major Corporate Partners, 14,000 pounds of food was delivered and distributed to the rural community of Bethel. In addition, The Salvation Army received a $25,000 grant from Wells Fargo to continue to provide support to Alaskans during the pandemic.
The Salvation Army’s Older Alaskans Program has been serving more seniors with door-to-door meal delivery than ever before since congregant meal sites have been closed due to the pandemic and municipal restrictions. The Salvation Army continues to be a partner with state and local agencies to help those in need and distribute funding to those who have been affected financially due to the pandemic.
As we get into the fall months, we look forward to providing you more information on our upcoming holiday assistance in the next newsletter. We will continue to work on how we can engage our supporters in order to keep you apprised of how The Salvation Army is meeting the needs of Alaskans.
In HIS Service,
Major John Brackenbury, M.O.L.
Divisional Commander
The Salvation Army Alaska Division