Salvation Army flood displaces much-needed services

The Salvation Army is still struggling to make alternate arrangementssince itsNew Hope Community Centre in downtown St. John's flooded earlier this week.

Staff at the Springdale Street facility discovered a burst pipe as they arrived for work on Monday. Water rushed downstairs from the main floor, putting three feet of water on the floor.

The Salvation Army has brought in anemergency response vehicle deliver hot meals to the needy.

"You get out of your comfort zone, and do something else," said Dion Yates, who isused to cooking up a full lunch for people inside the centre.Henow serves meals out of the organization's mobile soup kitchen.

The centre which provides services to about 500 people, including a community kitchen is still out of commission, which has caused anxiety for people who rely on it.

Donald Bursey said without the services of the centre, he would have to resort to panhandling to make ends meet.

"You gotta survive," he said.

The Salvation Army is still grappling with getting the community centre back to normal in the wake of the flood damage.

"I could not have imagined that there was this much destruction done with one pipe," staff member Catherine French said.

"All of our computer systems have been damaged with the water. The offices, and our classroom is not usable at all," she said.