Bobcat Expands Disaster Relief Program with Salvation Army

Equipment and worksite solutions giant Bobcat has expanded its partnership with The Salvation Army in a combined effort to further support disaster preparedness and relief efforts across the U.S.

Under the new terms of its agreement with the church-based global charity, Bobcat has donated an additional $465,000 in equipment, representatives say. This most recent bump brings Bobcat’s total donations to more than $1.35 million since 2024.

“Our mission at Bobcat is to empower people to accomplish more, and that includes lifting up communities in their time of greatest need,” says Mike Ballweber, president of Doosan Bobcat North America, Inc. “By deepening our partnership with The Salvation Army, we’re helping their teams reach more individuals, deliver more services and make a greater impact when it matters most.”

Bobcat most recently donated 23 pieces of construction equipment, including forklifts, portable generators, and light towers, in 2024. The equipment came in disaster relief for Hurricanes Milton and Helene, the latter of which was the deadliest hurricane on U.S. mainland soil since Katrina made landfall in New Orleans in 2005.

Responding to growing need

Research from the National Centers for Environmental Information says the U.S. averaged 23 billion-dollar weather disasters each year between 2020 and 2024. This is a nearly eight-fold increase from the 1980s, where the average was just three per year.

Disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, putting major strain on individuals and companies rushing to bring relief. As natural disasters continue to increase in frequency, The Salvation Army and other relief groups will be increasingly reliant on mobile power and lighting, including the generators and light towers Bobcat supplies.

Commissioner Merle Heatwole, the national commander of The Salvation Army, says his organization is “deeply grateful for Bobcat’s ongoing partnership.” The equipment the construction equipment titan supplies will be used on the front lines of hurricane, tornado, and wildfire cleanup efforts, among other disasters.

“The support from Bobcat enables our Emergency Disaster Services teams to respond quickly and effectively when communities face disasters,” Heatwole says. “With reliable equipment like generators, forklifts and light towers, we can provide critical services—meals, distribution of emergency supplies, and emotional and spiritual care—without delay.”

Bobcat’s partnership with The Salvation Army will help both groups extend their disaster relief reach and provide essential services to families in need, the companies say.