In June of 1992 my parents neighborhood was hit by a tornado. Their house was destroyed along with 50 to 60 others. As their lot was centrally located in the disaster area, the news trucks and relief organizations lined the street in front of what was left of their house. The Red Cross set up a snack truck on the street out front and the Salvation Army set up in the alley way behind us. They both stayed well after the newsies had moved on and provided free sandwiches and drinks to the clean up workers. The menus: RC: baloney sandwiches, coffeek and soft drinks. SA: Hot dogs, chips, candy, coffee and soft drinks. All free, of course.
Follow me below the fold for why I donate to the Salvation Army and not the Red Cross in times of disaster.
I am an atheist. I hold fealty to no God or Religion, and yet the Salvation Army is my charity of choice. Please unuderstand, i have nothing against the Red Cross. But one day, as we were cleaning up and demolishing what was left of the house, I Cut my hand. A minor cut, but one that required a band-aid. I went to the RC truck and asked for a band-aid. They told me that they were just there to provide sandwiches, coffee and soft drinks. They were not authorized to provide "medical assistance".
The SA truck geve me a whole box of band-aids and told me to keep it.
A few days later, without us even asking, a Salvation Army volunteer brought a dozen hot dogs to our clean up crew (which was all family and friends), and fed us all and also fetched drinks.
After about three weeks, the Red Cross packed up and left. But the Salvatioin Army truck stayed thru the entire summer, almost three whole months. Well after most of the clean up was done. My parents were living on the lot in their RV and they got to know the Army guys and gals almost like family.
This is an organization that truely lives by the creed: "By your works shall they know ye."
This is why I always drop a dollar in thei buckets at the malls during Christmas time. This is why i make an annual contribution to the SA of $100. This is why, when disaster strikes, the first place I go to contribute is the Salavation Army.