Salvation Army Captain Andres Espinoza (left) with NNA Chairman Milt Valera
Thanks to the generosity of Notaries across the country, the National Notary Foundation presented $50,000 to The Salvation Army on November 29 to support relief efforts for victims of the devastating hurricanes last summer and the disastrous Mexico City earthquake.
Responding to the call for aid, Notaries offered thousands of dollars in donations for disaster relief that were matched by the National Notary Foundation, the NNA’s philanthropic arm. The NNA also donated 100 percent of the proceeds from recent sales of Texas and Florida Notary journals. Altogether, $30,000 was raised for hurricane victims and $20,000 to support post-earthquake relief in Mexico City.
“Notaries have always come together for the greater good, and this campaign was no exception,” said NNA Chairman Milt Valera, who presented the checks to The Salvation Army. “The Army’s rescue and relief efforts are among the best in the world, and they need all the help we can give to continue their important work to save lives and give comfort.”
Salvation Army Captain Andres Espinoza, who recently returned from helping hurricane victims in St. Croix, said that donations will help with The Salvation Army’s ongoing relief work. “When I was in St. Croix, many people lacked food or power,” he said. “We helped clean up schools, clear trees, and worked with FEMA to provide more than 333,000 meals.”
Robert Brennan, director of communications for The Salvation Army’s Southern California Division, thanked Notaries for all their efforts. “The money Notaries have raised will go directly for clothing, food and clean water for people at disaster sites. It’s an amazing gift,” he said.
David Thun is an Associate Editor at the National Notary Association.