-WRGA-
The Salvation Army of Rome has a new tool to help feed residents, support first
responders and provide relief during emergencies with the addition of a mobile
canteen that officials say will expand the organization’s ability to serve the
community. The canteen’s arrival was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
Wednesday, marking an addition local leaders have worked toward for more than a
year.
Lt. Cory Tilley and his wife, Capt. Cristina Tilley, who serve as corps officers for the
Salvation Army in Rome, said the vehicle will allow the organization to bring food,
beverages and other assistance directly to people in need.
The canteen is equipped with a two-burner stove, industrial coffee maker, small
refrigerator and generator, allowing volunteers to prepare and distribute meals and
refreshments at various locations.
Although the vehicle is not designed to operate as a large-scale kitchen, Cory Tilley
said it will significantly expand what the Salvation Army can accomplish outside its
existing facilities.
The Salvation Army has served the Rome community for approximately 129 years,
and officials said the new vehicle will help the organization continue that mission
while expanding its reach.
The organization already provides meals and other services throughout the
community, but Cory Tilley said the canteen will make those efforts more efficient
and allow assistance to reach people where it is needed most.
“It’s really a tool to do the ministry we’re doing,” he said. “When you have the right
tool for the job, it makes the ministry so much easier and capable of just doing it on
such a much larger scale.”
