It was just a few short weeks ago when we were all starting to realize that the aftereffects of Hurricane Katrina were going to be something that our nation has never encountered before. New images of stranded people, damaged and destroyed houses, and deserted freeways and automobiles were coming at a mind-numbing rate. Everyone was asking “How can this be happening? This is America!” Well, it is America, and Katrina is proof that natural disasters can strike anyone anywhere at any time. When disaster strikes, we pull together as a nation, and support the organizations that have been there for us before, and will be there for us again, long after this incident is over. Today we look at an organization that is right in the middle of things, and tells how you can contribute to its efforts.

Many of us think of The Salvation Army as the bell ringers outside of stores during the Christmas season. But there is more to it than that, and it has a long and honorable history.

In 1865, William Booth, an ordained Methodist minister, aided by his wife Catherine, formed an evangelical group dedicated to preaching among the “unchurched” people living in the midst of appalling poverty in London’s East End. Booth’s ministry recognized the interdependence of material, emotional, and spiritual needs…

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