The Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley Corps provides social services, including food, shelter, clothing and financial assistance. According to Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley Corps Captain Rafael Viana, Officer in Charge, the organization has now focused its concentration on helping the specific needs of those affected in the Los Angeles area wildfires.

Here are some ways you can help:

Greatest Need:

“The public can help the most now by making a financial gift that gives us the purchasing power we need to care for disaster survivors and empower them to choose and buy what they need,” said Viana.

Financial donations can be made by calling 1-800-SAL ARMY or by visiting salarmy.us/socalfires.

Volunteers:

Currently, the Salvation Army is primarily using its trained volunteers at the evacuation centers to serve the meals. In addition, the organization has a list of volunteers with various skills and abilities for upcoming needs that will arise as the fires subside and the assistance and recovery continue.

In-Kind Donations:

Unsolicited donations of goods can create a secondary disaster by forcing responders at evacuation centers to divert valuable resources of personnel, time, space etc. to sort, package, transport, warehouse and distribute items that may not meet the needs of disaster survivors.

Companies who want to offer a donation of in-kind goods, please contact the Salvation Army for more information on how to help at salarmy.us/corporatecontact.

In times of disaster, the Salvation Army’s thrift stores fill these needs from existing, pre-sorted stock. By continuing to donate gently-used household goods to a local Salvation Army store, you help prepare for future disaster relief needs. Find a Salvation Army thrift store at SATRUCK.org.