The Salvation Army of Oconee County, SC

09/11/2026

https://youtu.be/yo-FcBU07eg?si=3vXPvoLjU3rSOZAB

On September 11, 2001, The Salvation Army responded to an unimagina...

09/11/2026

When I first came to work with The Salvation Army, I watched a documentary on their involvement at Ground Zero during 9/11. I remember Molly describing these moments of taking smoking boots off workers, washing and massaging their feet and putting new socks and boots back on them. Her description of the tears that streamed down their faces while they served them was truly both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
The Salvation Army was both the first disaster relief agency to arrive at Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, and last to leave when recovery operations officially concluded May 30, 2002. They arrived within :30 minutes to an hour of the first plane strike. They remained for 261 days until operations officially concluded and they participated in the final ceremonial removal of the last steel column. They provided 3,231,681 meals to first responders, recovery crews, and frontline workers. Their commitment totaled more than a million hours of service from 39,000 officers, staff and volunteers.
While they responded initially with 20 canteen vehicles, they quickly set up large respite tents. These tents offered extra noise insulation, bright lighting and climate controlled environments to give the workers not just a physical, but also a mental break. The interior walls were lined with thousands of letters, drawings, and posters sent in by children and citizens from all over the world, providing massive emotional comfort to the crews.
Officers, staff and volunteers handed out socks, underwear, work boots, gloves, lip balm, and eye drops. More importantly, they held hands, offered prayers, washed feet, listened to stories and allowed grieving workers the chance to mourn. Podiatrists, chiropractors, and massage therapists volunteered their time inside the tents to treat the physical toll on the workers' bodies.

The Salvation Army has long been an organization that serves behind the lines, in the shadows. They’re not showy, aren’t looking for the spotlight or vying for attention. Here in Oconee County, we serve those in crisis every day. We try to serve with integrity, compassion, and care. Our donors and volunteers are the wealth of all we do. We don’t fight for attention, we just serve quietly and try to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who walk through our doors. Some days we lose sight of our impact. But we do pray that years from now there will be stories shared of how we were able to bring someone hope in the midst of dark times. Thank you to all who value The Salvation Army by serving, by giving, by praying.

09/11/2026

09/01/2026

We were so thrilled to attend the awards ceremony with Women For Women through the Community Foundation of Greater Clemson where we received this generous grant. It will be used to help further our work to help women in Oconee County struggling to make ends meet. We were one of four awardees and it was so impacting to hear from each organization that serves the various needs of our counties. Thank you so much to the awards committee and to all the donors who contributed to provide these valuable grants through Women For Women.

08/25/2026

❤️❤️❤️

08/14/2026

Temporary Cooling Center to Open in Oconee County, SC

Due to prolonged, extreme heat and high temperatures, a temporary cooling center will open its doors in Oconee County.

The cooling shelter, located at the Tim Howard Gym at 810 W. South 4th Street, in Seneca, will open its doors Friday, August 14th at 12:00 p.m. Managed by the Oconee County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), South Carolina Department of Social Services and American Red Cross, the cooling center will be available to patrons Friday the 14th, through Monday the 17th, from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Heat-related illnesses happen when the body is not able to properly cool itself. When spending time outdoors, people should be sure to properly hydrate, seek shade, and wear appropriate clothing. Anyone experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion, including dizziness, heavy sweating, nausea and weakness should move to a cooler area, sip water and seek medical help if symptoms do not improve.

Additional information about heat-related illnesses may be found at heat.gov/heat-safety/

For additional information about the cooling center, please call (864) 638-4201 or email [email protected]