As the nation marks the anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Salvation Army continues to address the longstanding issues of homelessness, poverty, and hunger which have intensified and become more complex due to COVID-19.

According to the organization, as a record number of families face the ongoing threats of “pandemic poverty,” The Salvation Army remains committed, despite operational and fundraising challenges for charities.

People living in poverty felt the initial effects of COVID-19 more quickly and acutely because they experienced a pandemic on top of already-existing epidemics of need. COVID-19 forced a record number of Americans to seek assistance from The Salvation Army. That was certainly true in Salina. The most requested service was food assistance, and due to its grassroots structure, the Salvation Army was able to modify operations to meet urgent need in creative and localized ways. In Salina, they served over 16,600 meals/food pantry boxes and 5,275 people.

As needs evolved over the course of the year, The Salvation Army continued to re-imagine safe ways to meet them, such as initiating services that were over phone and done online in order to need the rising need and distributing Covid19 testing kits to the most vulnerable in in Saline County.

The Salvation Army will continue to meet the rising tide of pandemic poverty during the current crisis and beyond, but to do so, they are asking for the support of the public. Just $25 a month could be the difference between a family paying their light bill or being left in the dark or receiving a hot meal or going hungry.

To help, visit https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/salina/