INDIANA – As floodwaters have moved into central Indiana, The Salvation Army is responding to even more communities across the state in the wake of record power outages and floods. Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) teams are responding to immediate needs, like food, hydration, shelter, personal hygiene items, and cleaning supplies, while preparing to shift into a long-term response that will include financial assistance for those affected by the storms.
MARION COUNTY
In Indianapolis, several low-lying neighborhoods along the White River were evacuated over the weekend as floodwaters filled streets and homes. The Salvation Army was handing out lunches to families in the Ravenswood neighborhood on Wednesday as residents are starting to return to their homes to assess damage. Lunch service will continue through the week.
Donations and assistance from Sam’s Club, Giant Eagle, TURF Catering, Simon Property Group, Sahm’s Catering, and Two Men And a Truck are helping to respond to immediate needs in Indianapolis. Follow The Salvation Army of Central Indiana on Facebook at facebook.com/sacentralindiana for the latest updates.
LAKE COUNTY
Thousands of households in Lake County are still without power after high wind events, and tornadoes struck the county on August 11. The Salvation Army of East Chicago, located at 513 W. Chicago Avenue, is continuing to serve the public with two hot meals daily. Since the storms hit, they have served 708 hot meals and distributed 262 food boxes to local families. The most current distribution information can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/SalvationArmyEastChicago.
Additional food distributions have taken place at The Salvation Army of Gary-Merrillville, located at 4800 Harrison Street in Gary. Sack lunches were served today at the corps and will again be available tomorrow from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Updates regarding service in the Gary area will be posted on Facebook at facebook.com/TSAGaryMerrillville.
The Salvation Army of Hammond-Munster, located at 8225 Columbia Avenue, will be serving lunch on Thursday and Friday of this week Noon to 2:00 p.m., and will be offering flood kits to assist households with storm cleanup in damaged homes. It is working to get food out into some of the other Lake County communities, including a lunch today at the St. John Township Community Center. A donation of shelf-stable food from Meijer is helping to stock Salvation Army pantries in Hammond and across the area. Stay up on the latest on Facebook at facebook.com/salarmyhammond.
PORTER COUNTY
The Salvation Army of Porter County is serving residents of Porter County and eastern Lake County, providing lunch from its corps building at 799 Capitol Road north of South Haven. As of Monday, the EDS team in Porter County had served 3,478 meals as part of a coordinated response involving local government and local organizations.
Strack and Van Til has been a key partner and is very supportive, providing food to distribute in both Porter and Lake counties. Updates and additional information about distribution sites and needs will continue to be posted on Facebook at facebook.com/SAPorterCounty.
LA PORTE COUNTY
The Salvation Army of La Porte County has been distributing food and hydration to residents without power since the August 11 storms. Distributions have taken place at both the Michigan City corps, located at 1201 Franklin Street, and La Porte corps, located at 3240 Monroe Street. Since August 11, more than 1,650 meals have been served to county residents who lost power.
Food pantry hours and details about upcoming food distribution locations throughout the county are posted on each of the corps’ Facebook pages as they are confirmed. Visit facebook.com/samichigancityin and facebook.com/salaporte for the latest information as the response continues to develop.
MADISON COUNTY
The Salvation Army of Anderson has been operating as a 24-hour shelter since record flooding forced hundreds of families from their homes on August 12. As families begin to move back into their homes, the focus is shifting toward providing cleaning supplies, nonperishable food, personal care items, and financial assistance.
Donations can still be dropped off at the Anderson corps, located at 1615 Meridian Street. Anyone in need can reach the corps around the clock by calling 765-644-2538. Updates will continue to be posted to Facebook at facebook.com/SalvationArmyAndersonIndiana.
HENRY COUNTY
The Salvation Army of Henry County, located in New Castle at 2500 Washington Street, has been offering three meals each day to the public and has converted its gymnasium into a distribution center thanks to a generous donation from Walmart, including funds to purchase additional needed items.
While the corps is no longer accepting clothing donations, other items are still needed, including nonperishable food, diapers and wipes, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene items. Updated needs and community resources will continue to be posted on Facebook at facebook.com/SalvationArmyHenryCounty.
Click here to make a donation to the August 2026 Indiana Disaster Response.
The Salvation Army’s disaster response will continue to evolve as resources become available and community needs change. Those wishing to support disaster relief efforts are asked to monitor official Salvation Army communications for future needs.
