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BRAZIL—The Salvation Army is working with the Brazilian government to support relief efforts—including distribution of supplies and donated goods—following flooding and landslides that have killed more than 650 people.
Major Téofilo Chagas, territorial communications director for Brazil, is coordinating the Army’s response, with help from Major Jorge Silva from Santa Cruz (a suburb of Rio de Janeiro) and Cadet Fagner Castanho, who is on summer assignment.
From an international news release
CHILE—A magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit the southern portion of Chile on Jan. 2. The tremor lasted approximately one minute, creating panic.
Some areas lost electricity and water but experienced no major damages or deaths.
“This second large earthquake has added to their state of shock,” Salvation Army Chile South Divisional Commander Major Antonio Arguedashas said, adding that the people are still suffering from trauma caused by the major earthquake in February 2010.
From an international news release
BERMUDA—Described as an extraordinary man who consistently gives of himself to help others, Salvationist Lionel Cann was recognized for his commitment to the mission of The Salvation Army during the Caron Bermuda Community Service Awards for 2010 in Hamilton. Cann operates a soup run in the city with numerous volunteers five nights a week.
Caron Bermuda provides adult and adolescent residents with direct access to quality off-island residential drug and alcohol treatment.
From Canada’s Salvationist, Feb. 2011
CANADA—In September 2010, Hurricane Igor caused over $100 million in damage to Newfoundland. The Salvation Army continues to receive and process applications from victims of the disaster, and the Hurricane Igor Advisory Committee still meets regularly. To date, individual and corporate donors have contributed more than $1.6 million, not counting approximately $200,000 in pledges not yet received.
Early applications were for basic supplies—food and personal items. Now, with government and insurance claims finalized, people are finding gaps that still exist, so they are turning to The Salvation Army to help them recover their losses. The committee will not establish a deadline for applications until it is certain everyone needing assistance has had a chance to apply.
From salvationarmy.ca
U.K.—A government report on food security calls for urgent action to avert global hunger. The culmination of a two-year study, the Foresight Report on Food and Farming Futures involved 400 experts from 35 countries. The report concludes that the food production system needs not just to produce more food, but also to produce it sustainably.
“Currently 925 million people suffer hunger and perhaps a further billion lack micronutrients…those at risk of hunger have the least influence on decision-making,” the authors stated.
The report notes that China, with its significant investment in agriculture, is one of the few countries to have met the United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving hunger.
Over the last year, New Frontier has reported on the MDGs; see Vol. 28, No. 3 for more about the MDG on hunger.
Read about the Foresight report at https://tiny.cc/w2z1x.
