Salvation Army Receives 4-CT Grant
CONNECTICUT – The Salvation Army’s Southern New England Division has been awarded a grant from the 4-CT Statewide COVID-19 Relief Fund in the amount of $304,500. The grant will allow The Salvation Army to provide 85,000+ meals to meet continued food needs in hard-to-reach, rural areas in Eastern and Northwestern Connecticut.
“We are deeply grateful for our new partnership with the 4-CT Statewide COVID-19 Relief Fund and all of their partners,” said Major Gregory Hartshorn, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army’s Southern New England Division. “Securing a steady supply of food has been a priority for us since the beginning, and these funds will help us keep the rural communities of Eastern and Northwestern Connecticut food secure for weeks to come.”
4-CT is a charitable fund that was created in response to the COVID-19 crisis in Connecticut. The goal of 4-CT is to help Connecticut residents by connecting donors with the most urgent needs across the state – with 100% of every donation directed to crisis needs. Endorsed by Governor Ned Lamont, 4-CT has designated funds raised for COVID-19 relief efforts to 5 key areas: emergency childcare for first responders, food insecurity (local food banks), housing and homelessness, domestic violence and online education.
The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services Department is continuing to provide emergency food to those in need as a result of COVID-19. As of June 7th, 778,387 meals have been provided and 54,320 individuals have been served in Connecticut alone. Hub locations have been operating in Ashford, Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury and Bridgeport, sorting and distributing emergency food boxes to Salvation Army locations throughout the state. To ensure adequate family meals, we are purchasing wholesale foods from 3 vendors to supplement items from Foodshare, CT Food Bank and many public and private donations.
In the United States, one in six people live in poverty, and more than 550,000 are counted as homeless. These populations severely lack access to proper care, hygiene, updated information, and medical resources, which makes them more susceptible to the virus. This is where The Salvation Army comes in. The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of the most vulnerable members of society in times of disaster – such as the current COVID-19 crisis – through its Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) department. The Salvation Army is serving in every zip code in Connecticut, including 29 Service Unit towns, reaching vulnerable populations where established social services are minimal.
For those who need assistance: Emergency food distributions are held at Salvation Army locations on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Please call ahead.
The Salvation Army’s EDS department is coordinating with state and local leads to determine gap feeding needs for vulnerable populations across the state. With the growing need, EDS is continually working to secure the food from multiple sources and assemble and then distribute hundreds of these food boxes to hard hit areas each week. We are committed to helping those impacted by COVID through all phases of their recovery and rebuilding.
The Salvation Army has introduced an Emotional and Spiritual Care Hotline for anyone in the US to call during the pandemic. Its hours of operation are 9:00 am to 9:00 pm EDT. By calling 844 458-HOPE (4673) trained Salvation Army Officers and employees are available to talk, advise, and above all pray for individuals, families and situations. Anyone who is feeling lonely, isolated, or fearful of the coronavirus outbreak can call the hotline number to reach a friendly and reassuring voice.
To donate:
For Connecticut: Text GIVECT to 71777
For Rhode Island: Text GIVERI to 71777
Read more about how The Salvation Army is helping those in need during this crisis.