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The Salvation Army continues its work to provide relief to residents in the Washington/Beaufort County area as the impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic are felt. Unemployment rates have risen dramatically, and many are suffering from delayed unemployment checks. Some households are having to choose between food and keeping the bills paid. Since the pandemic began, requests for assistance from The Salvation Army have risen sharply.

“The coronavirus pandemic has created unforeseen challenges for many people in our community,” said Lt. Karl Bush, of The Salvation Army of Washington. “People who have never walked through the doors of The Salvation Army are asking for help. We spend time with them to find solutions. The same people leave with hope — hope that their family will be fed. Hope that their lights will stay on. Hope for a roof over their head.”

The Salvation Army is open Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to assist with requests for food, utility and rent assistance and is located at 112 E. 7th St., Washington.

“Since March 16 we have seen a large influx of requests for assistance with food. Normally we distribute 70 food box orders throughout our six counties; we are currently distributing 80 boxes per week and are trending to be over 100 boxes per week by mid-May,” Bush said.

The Salvation Army is asking for financial donations to continue its work to support people in need.

“We can provide our services because of the generosity of the community. Donations to The Salvation Army will help us continue our service to people in need, safely and immediately. Our promise to you is that we will serve people who come through our doors with compassion. We will strive to stretch every dollar entrusted to us. And we will be here in this community as long as we are needed,” added Lt. Bush.

The community may contribute to The Salvation Army’s efforts in the following ways:

• Online at salarmy.us/covid
• By mail at The Salvation Army of Washington, P.O. Box 877, Washington, NC 27889
• By phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY

The Salvation Army annually helps nearly 23 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a range of social services. By providing food for the hungry, emergency relief for disaster survivors, rehabilitation for those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and clothing and shelter for people in need, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 7,600 centers of operation around the country. In the first-ever listing of “America’s Favorite Charities” by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, The Salvation Army ranked as the country’s largest privately funded, direct-service nonprofit. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on Twitter: @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood