Local Salvation Army deployed for Irma response

Capt. Michael Cox, commander of the Johnson City Salvation Army Corps, and a local disaster-relief team will join in the largest natural disaster response in the Salvation Army's history Sunday.

Cox and a specialized team of Salvation Army disaster responders including Danny Williams, Lomer Starks and Laura Springer, will leave the Johnson City Salvation Army Center of Hope on Ashe Street at 3:30 p.m.

The group will take the the local corps' mobile canteen and other specialized equipment to Chattanooga, where trained Salvation Army personnel from across Tennessee will muster for deployment in the relief effort that follows after Hurricane Irma's landfall in Florida.

In addition to Florida, the Salvation Army is also preparing to serve communities in the path of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean Islands, Georgia, the Carolinas and Florida.

Its services will include mobilized feeding operations and emotional and spiritual care for first responders.

The 30-day period that began with Hurricane Harvey's landfall in Texas is expected to be the busiest and most costly disaster response in the history of the Salvation Army.

For those who wish to contribute, financial donations are the best way to meet the evolving needs and to support relief efforts. During times of disaster, 100 percent of donations to the Salvation Army go to services in the impacted areas.

Donations designated for "Hurricane Relief" may be made online at www.HelpSalvationArmy.org or call by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

Email Sue Guinn Legg at slegg@johnsoncitypress.com. Follow her on Twitter @sueleggjcpress. Like her on Facebook at facebook.com/sueleggjcpress.