The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) teams are working around the clock to provide meals, drinks and emotional and spiritual care to communities in Central Texas, USA, following the devastating flooding of the Guadalupe River on Friday 4 July 2025.
Multiple Salvation Army emergency canteens have been deployed to support first responders and survivors at emergency shelters in Kerrville, Hunt and Ingram.
‘We have three fully stocked mobile feeding units that, on Saturday morning, began serving survivors at emergency shelters in Kerrville,’ said Major Phil Swyers, a Salvation Army officer (minister) based in Kerrville. He added that when roads reopened, two further units were sent to Hunt. In Ingram, a Salvation Army mobile kitchen and disaster team is supporting first responders 24/7.
‘It is estimated that close to 1,000 additional first responders representing many different agencies have arrived in Kerrville over the last two days. It has been a blessing for The Salvation Army to provide 24-hour support as they tirelessly work to help in our community. People have been grateful to receive a meal, drink and a word of encouragement or prayer from our team,’ Major Swyers added.
Sustained and heavy rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to swell, becoming a destructive force during the early hours of the morning and catching many citizens unaware. People are still missing, and search-and-rescue operations are ongoing as roads are steadily being cleared and the river level slowly recedes. It is one of the deadliest flood disasters in the United States in the past 100 years.
‘Communities across Central Texas are reeling from unimaginable loss and we are heartbroken by the scope of this tragedy,’ said Commissioner Merle Heatwole, National Commander of The Salvation Army in the USA. ‘In the face of overwhelming loss, The Salvation Army is committed to being a constant presence, offering not just physical support, but also a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and a reminder that no one is alone in this.’
Thousands of meals, drinks and snacks have already been served, and clean-up kits, hygiene kits, blankets and other essential items are also being distributed.
Salvation Army teams are also supporting the city of San Angelo, where neighbourhoods are still under water. The San Angelo Corps (church) has been in communication with local officials and has opened its shelter for overflow evacuations.
Further Salvation Army EDS personnel and emergency vehicles are being dispatched to support these communities, including seven trained emotional and spiritual care staff. Emotional and spiritual care is an integral part of The Salvation Army’s disaster response effort. These specialists are deployed alongside emergency response teams to sit with survivors in their grief, pray with families, offer spiritual guidance and provide hope in the darkest of moments.
The Salvation Army in Kerrville is also working closely with county and state officials to accept and manage in-kind donations from the community and beyond. The global church and charity has undertaken a huge logistical response here, coordinating the receiving, organising and distributing of supplies to impacted individuals and families.
‘The Salvation Army has worked in this community for many years, and we are uniquely positioned to step forward and partner with the county and city in this way,’ said Major Swyers.
Local Salvation Army organisers have reached out asking for continued prayer for those who have lost family members and for the first responders and volunteers working to support the community.
