The Salvation Army awarded ‘Key to the City’ in Temple, Texas

The Salvation Army was recently awarded the ‘Key to the City' of Temple, Texas, with recognition of the support and assistance provided by the organization to the community during Winter Storm Uri. Salvation Army staff and volunteers, working with community partners, responded quickly and effectively throughout the storm in February 2021. The Salvation Army provided shelter, food, and relief as the city was gripped by freezing weather, ice, and power outages.

A letter received from Brynn Myers, city manager of Temple, outlined the appreciation of the city for the work done during the storm and the collaboration between businesses, government agencies, and non-profits.

"Our goal as a City was rather simple, keep our residents safe and warm. We quickly realized we could not have done that without you," said Myers in the letter. "Your selfless service brought warm food, safe shelter and efficient transportation to our citizens."

"The Salvation Army was proud to serve alongside those who helped meet the needs of those impacted by Winter Storm Uri," said Lt. David Beckham, commanding officer of The Salvation Army in Bell County. "It took a great team to respond so quickly and meet such dire and immediate need. We worked closely with St. Vincent De Paul, Impact Church, and the Walmart Distribution Center, and the McLane family stepped forward, once again, with food box distributions providing practical support to families in need."

Since 1893, The Salvation Army has faithfully served the needs of citizens of Temple. To this point in 2021, The Salvation Army has provided shelter to more than 3,180 men, women, and families at its Center of Hope, while also serving 26,535 hot meals, giving rental and utility assistance to 619 individuals, providing 2152 food boxes and additional support.

"I was so impressed by the love and support we received from the city and our community partners who worked towards the common goal of sharing comfort and hope to all affected by the storm. We are proud to serve alongside this great community every day and during times of crisis," said Lt. Beckham. "Although we are humbled and grateful to the city for the recognition, we could not have done it alone. Mayor Tim Davis even drove by the Center of Hope every day, on the ice, to see how we were holding out."

"Mayor Davis and I would like you to accept this Key to the City as a token of our thanks from the bottom of our hearts for your servitude and sacrifice to our City," Myers said. "It is a great honor bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, is an affirmation of the bond between the city and its community, and symbolizes our gratitude to you."