Salvation Army in St. Catharines Provides Support After Flooding
During July and August, St. Catharines, Ont., was hit by several rainstorms that brought record-breaking rainfall to parts of the city. The extreme precipitation caused flooding that damaged thousands of properties and forced the mayor to declare a state of emergency.
For those residents whose basements flooded and who lost furniture and other belongings, The Salvation Army was by their side offering practical assistance as well as emotional and spiritual care.
“I talked to my coworkers and told them we needed to do something.”
Rose Amer, director at The Salvation Army in St. Catharines, recently spoke with a neighbour who gave her an idea of the extent of the damage.
“She was telling me how devastated she felt,” Rose shares. “She was expressing her frustration, the pain and heartache of seeing all her stuff and memories be gone.”
While The Salvation Army location Rose manages is primarily a food bank, it also has an Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) truck at its disposal, allowing staff to visit affected communities and step up to assist with whatever resources they have available.
“After seeing what had happened, I talked to my coworkers and told them we needed to do something. We looked in the pantry to see what we could spare,” Rose explains.
“We are a place where they can feel safe enough to talk about stuff without judgement.”
The organization has provided food, water, gloves, face masks, cleaning supplies and hygiene kits to residents at local response sites.
Additionally, staff are open to giving emotional and spiritual care to anyone hoping to chat about what they are experiencing.
“Many people are looking for someone to listen to them. We are a place where they can feel safe enough to talk about stuff without judgement,” Rose adds.
For those in the community wanting to support the relief efforts, Rose says cleaning products, as well as N95 masks, are the most needed at the moment, as residents work to clear out their homes and want to protect themselves from the effects of mold.
While this is an unfortunate situation, Rose is proud that many neighbours have turned to The Salvation Army during this time, showing the trust the organization has built in St. Catharines.
“People see us as a beacon of hope in the community,” she says. “I keep getting calls and texts asking for any help we can provide. I am proud of the work we do here at The Salvation Army.”
As those affected begin their recovery, Rose reminds them the organization will be by their side if needed.
“I want to remind people that they can reach out to us and we will try to assist them as much as we can. The Salvation Army is here for them, so they are not alone in this situation,” Rose concludes.
By Juan Romero
