Greensboro Reporter

As states along the Eastern Seaboard hunker down for Hurricane Ian’s wrath, the Salvation Army unit in Greensboro is telling North Carolinians and others it will be there to help after the storm passes.

"We have the training under our belt to be able to go into the situations and serve the most vulnerable to serve the most needy during that time and it means the world that God gives us this opportunity to do that,” Chris Raymer, a corps officer with the Greensboro unit, said in a WFMY report. 

The Salvation Army started packing its disaster mobile unit Monday, Raymer said.

”We'll do cold cut sandwiches and snacks, and prepared meals are ready,” he said. The unit’s members are waiting on standby in case they are needed in heavily impacted areas, whether it be Georgia, Florida or South Carolina.

When the unit gets the call to deploy, Raymer said two people will take the disaster mobile unit, and they’ll be able to serve about 300 meals a day.

"We'll send it into neighborhoods, we'll drive it if we need it near the beach, we can wherever it is that they need is the greatest - that’s where we will serve,” he said.

When packing in advance, the volunteers stock non-perishable items, such as utensils, plastic ware and first-aid kits. Perishable foods will be added when it ships out and along the way.

Besides feeding those in need, the Salvation Army also provides emotional support.

"A lot can go into a disaster,” he said in the report. “Definitely, God forbid if someone loses a loved one, we want to be there for those times we want to be able to walk with them during those times, pray with them." 

Typically the crew stays in an affected area for two weeks, though it can be longer, depending on how bad the situation is.