WASHINGTON — First, Larry Webber's house in Wilmington, N.C., flooded during Hurricane Floyd last fall. Then it caught fire. In the end, he and his wife Debra were left with nothing — except, he says, the moral support and donations from the Salvation Army.
The organization helped a record number of Americans last year as more than 33 million people received lodging, food and help recovering from natural disasters. The Salvation Army's basic services — providing clothing or groceries from local centers — accounted for about 18 million of those cases, according to their 1999 service report to be released Monday.
The total number of people served last year topped the 1998 total by almost 1.4 million.
"Amid the atmosphere of this robust economy, there are still millions of Americans in need," said John Busby, national commander of the Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army also served almost 29 million meals to the hungry last year.
The group plans to present their report to members of Congress on Wednesday as part of National Salvation Army Week.
A survey in November by The Chronicle of Philanthropy found that for a seventh consecutive year, the Salvation Army was the top choice among the nation's charities, raising $1.2 billion in cash and donated goods.
Founded in 1865, the Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Christian church and one of the largest charitable and service organizations in the world.
For Webber, the charity's assistance has been invaluable.
"It's been a long time since the hurricane but their still helping as far as giving moral support," he said.