The Salvation Army COVID-19 Responds to Needs of Indiana Communities

Partnerships and collaborations make expanded services possible across state

The Salvation Army Indiana Division is responding to a wide variety of needs in cities and towns across Indiana as the COVID-19 crisis approaches the one month mark. From seniors asking for food delivery to municipalities in need of help setting up emergency shelters, The Salvation Army is addressing the specific needs of diverse communities.

“Indiana is mixture of rural and urban, commercial and industrial. Every community is unique, and the shut-downs they're experiencing are affecting people in many different ways,” said Major Robert Webster, divisional commander for The Salvation Army. “Before the coronavirus hit, we were already in these communities helping people who struggle with hunger and homelessness. Now we're being called on to help people who've never needed assistance before. Volunteers used to giving are finding themselves in the position of having to ask for help. It's a tough situation for so many people, but we're here, and we'll get through this together.”

In Indianapolis, The Salvation Army is continuing to shelter victims of domestic violence and homelessness at the Ruth Lilly Women and Children's Center. The Harbor Light Center, which provides addiction treatment services to men and women from across the state, is another vital residential programs that is still up and running with protocols in place to keep these already vulnerable populations as safe as possible.

Food is the primary concern of most Hoosiers during this difficult time, but as more people find themselves without a paycheck, the requests for financial assistance continue to increase. Here is a snapshot of just a fraction of what is happening in Indiana communities this week:

  • Indianapolis - Serving two hot meals each day at the Wheeler Mission emergency shelter on East 10th Street. Providing drive-thru food pantry each week at the Eagle Creek corps. Twice-weekly hot lunches served to locals in need at the Fountain Square corps along with a walk-up food pantry. Collaborating with Midwest Food Bank and Gleaners to get food boxes to low-income families and seniors.
  • Evansville - More than 200 to-go hot lunches served weekdays from the corps building. Drive-thru food pantry open three days each week.
  • Nashville - Drive-thru food pantry twice weekly and live streamed church services.
  • Logansport - Weekday hot lunches and twice weekly walk-up food pantry.
  • Fort Wayne - Distributing groceries, bus passes, and virus prep kits to the community. Food pantry open twice weekly.
  • Princeton - Distributing more than 430 food boxes to hungry families. Food pantry twice weekly and hot dinner served via take-out on Tuesdays.
  • Columbus - Ministry bags delivered to home-bound community members and a walk-up food pantry open to the public Monday-Thursday.  Hot dinner provided on Thursdays.
  • Shelbyville - Serving hot carry-out meals to the public seven days a week and offering drive-thru food pantry twice weekly.
  • New Albany - Working with county health department to deliver food to quarantined families. Delivering food to seniors and hosting a weekday drive-thru food pantry.
  • Lafayette - Partnering with the City of Lafayette in response and serving lunch at Lafayette Transitional Housing. Financial aid for rent and utility.
  • Warsaw - Drive up pantry weekdays and delivery of needed items, like toilet paper, to a local senior apartment center.
  • Madison - Youth programming shifted to online and care packages with fun activities sent to kids. Weekday take-out feeding program for breakfast and lunch.
  • Terre Haute - Food pantry open weekdays and social services continuing by phone
  • Vincennes - Food boxes distributed to families via twice weekly drive-thru and sack lunches prepared daily for area children.

The Salvation Army is serving residents in every Indiana county, including those communities that do not have a brick-and-mortar Salvation Army building. For more details and information about what is happening in other Indiana cities and towns, visit SalvationArmyIndiana.org.

It is easy for the public to help The Salvation Army respond to the needs of their community during the COVID-19 outbreak and the many months of recovery that lie ahead. Here are just a few ways to help:

  • Donate online by visiting SalvationArmyIndiana.org and donating through the COVID-19 Updates page. Donations are currently being matched by an anonymous grant up to an amount of $250,000, effectively doubling any donation made before May 1. All donations will stay in the donor's community, no matter where they live in Indiana.
  • Shop online at Walmart.com/registryforgood and search for "Salvation Army" in your area. Each Salvation Army location has a list of items they need for their COVID-19 response. You can purchase the items online and have them shipped directly to The Salvation Army!
  • Learn how you can volunteer by contacting your local Salvation Army. Volunteers are needed to help with food boxes, deliveries, phone calls, and food prep. With so many high-risk volunteers unable to help, new volunteers are needed more than ever before.
  • Make a bigger impact through a transformative gift of cash, large food donation, or much-needed items like boxes and masks.

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