Salvos committed to helping storm affected Hunter region

The Salvation Army Emergency Services remain hard at work in the Hunter region with evacuation centres currently set up to provide essential food, comfort and care to isolated and devastated communities.

Salvation Army personnel have been on the ground working tirelessly to provide NSW SES and Fire and Rescue NSW with hot meals, as well as providing breakfast, lunch and dinner for people in the areas of Green Hills, Raymond Terrace, Nelson Bay and Medowie.

In addition, The Salvation Army today coordinated the receipt of food donated by Woolworths to establish a 'grocery store' in the isolated Gillieston Heights Community at the Gillieston Heights Community Centre. Prior to this, essential supplies have been delivered to the area by NSW SES transport boats.

Newcastle & Central New South Wales Divisional Commander, Major Gavin Watts, said the need is significant and may not let up for some time.

“We are seeing people come in who haven’t had power since the storm hit on Tuesday and they have exhausted all their supplies and don’t have access to basic essentials. The evacuation centres are currently providing breakfast, lunch and dinner to those who desperately need it, as well as resourcing NSW SES and Fire and Rescue NSW personnel and volunteers with hot meals,” he said.

“There is a very strong sense of coming together to help those who need it most, to have each other’s back. As we move forward, The Salvation Army will be able to provide disaster relief for people through our assessment centres to get them back on their feet.”

Through a partnership with Woolworths, the Daily Telegraph, Commonwealth Bank, Qantas, Crown Resorts and Channel 7, The Salvation Army has opened an appeal to support those affected by the NSW storm. For anyone who would like to contribute to this appeal, donations can be made by calling 13 SALVOS or online at salvos.org.au/nswstorm.