The Salvation Army of Augusta and its state headquarters are continuing to monitor the coronavirus (COVID19) situation and work with local authorities. The Center of Hope, The Salvation Army of Augusta's emergency shelter, has implemented its Community Emergency Protocol and will remain open to serve those in need. Shelter guests will receive daily extensions at the Center of Hope until the end of the crisis. All other shelter policies are still in effect. Shelter guests who are ill must seek medical attention before being checked in. Appropriate documentation must be presented for reentry into the shelter. Walk-in hours are suspended until further notice. Shelter fees will be waived through the end of March.

The Salvation Army Kroc Center will be closing its community center and will be open to members only. The membership side of the Kroc Center will be closing at 6 PM every night to accommodate a deep cleaning initiative. The Kroc Center will be disinfected from 6 PM - 5 AM daily. All group classes have been canceled or postponed until further notice.

The Augusta Kroc Church will be offering virtual worship experiences on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights at facebook.com/AugustaKrocChurch/. The community is invited to join in on these special services.

The Salvation Army of Augusta has implemented hand sanitizing stations in all locations and instructed staff to minimize the spread of communicable diseases by adhering to enhanced cleaning protocols.

The Salvation Army of Augusta urges guests and staff to

Wash their hands multiple times a day

Cover their coughs and sneezes

Distance themselves by staying six feet apart from each other

Disinfect objects that they touch

Avoid touching their faces

Stay home if they are feeling ill

Major Douglas McClure said, "During these troubling times, The Salvation Army is committed to providing emotional and spiritual care for all members of our community. If you have a prayer request, please email it to [email protected]."

The Salvation Army of Augusta will continue to closely monitor the situation as it progresses and take guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local authorities. For updates on The Salvation Army of Augusta's actions in this developing situation, please visit salvationarmyaugusta.org/covid19.