Salvation Army Today

Café Uses Memories to Help People Manage Forgetfulness

The Salvation Army’s Sally Ann’s Memory Café is held every Friday in the hall on Tolhouse Street in Great Yarmouth. It’s run by Harry Woods, community manager, who explained more about who would benefit from the club. Before joining The Salvation Army, Harry worked in the care sector, mainly caring for people living with dementia.
He said: “The club is open to anyone experiencing problems with their memory, from the elderly to people diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. It also provides some respite for family caretakers.”
The club, which has been running for around three months, is tailored towards stimulating minds with activities designed to activate memories.
It’s a small group and that means they can work one on one with people. For one gentleman, the club is the only time he comes out. He loves doing jigsaws and puzzles, which he completes in no time so you know he’s enjoying it.
Harry thinks there is a need for these facilities elsewhere– for caretakers as well as people living with the conditions.
For more stories like these, visit, SALVATIONARMYSOUNDCAST.ORG/SATODAY
 

Salvation Army Expands Street Level Program

Street Level is one of The Salvation Army’s newest initiatives to help those dealing with homelessness. The program began operating in 2019, building off the work of Major Phil Smith, who began the outreach by walking the street with a carafe of coffee in a backpack. The team has now helped more than 400 people gain permanent housing and since its inception—97 percent remain housed.
As the team travels the streets of the community, they approach neighbors living in their cars to find out what next step in their journey it will take to finding housing.
The answers vary. Sometimes it’s something like getting a car key replaced that would allow someone to work again, other times it’s getting an ID.
But during the Street Level outreach days, the team works to engage those living in vehicles by meeting immediate needs through items like snacks and hygiene kits and identifying next steps. They’ve found that while resources exist, it’s often the process of obtaining them that’s filled with barriers. Street Level addresses this head-on.
Northwest Divisional Commander, Lt. Colonel Cindy Foley stated,
“We’re going to people who are never going to find us…And then we walk with them on that journey until they’re successfully housed.”
Learn more at disaster.salvationarmyusa.org
 

The Salvation Army Responds to Wildfires in Florida Panhandle

The Salvation Army’s Panama City Corps has responded to major wildfires that have affected many residences in an 8,000-acre area and continues to require mandatory evacuations for thousands of homes across Florida’s Panhandle.
National Guard Air assets, along with fire crews from around the State of Florida, have been activated to provide additional support. Disaster workers from Panama City, Tallahassee and Ft. Walton Beach, Florida are deployed to serve those fighting and affected by these wildfires.
The Salvation Army of Panama City has deployed its canteen and is serving at the Incident Command Post for the first responders. They are also providing hot meals for the American Red Cross to distribute to responder strike teams on the front lines of the fires.
In addition to food service being provided, The Salvation Army is assisting families that have lost their homes. As part of the ongoing response to the wildfires, Target gift cards have been provided to evacuees as needed.
To make a financial donation and support the efforts of The Salvation Army in the Florida Panhandle Wildfires, visit give.helpsalvationarmy.org

Homeless Lifehouse Receives Ikea Donation

Residents at a Salvation Army homeless shelter in Glasgow have been made to feel more at home thanks to Ikea.
The Swedish company donated $35,000 worth of furniture that was used during the city's recent COP26 climate summit.
William Hunter House Lifehouse, which provides short-term supported accommodation for people experiencing homelessness, was given tables and chairs for its lounge as well as other furnishings for residents' rooms.
John, a resident at the William Hunter House, said the donation had made the center feel more like a home.
Laura Thomson, programmed coordinator at the center, thanked Ikea and said the new furniture had created a bit of a buzz for residents.
She said: "It's been great to see the reaction to the newly furnished lounge. The furniture is top quality and has made the spaces in our center more accessible and welcoming.”
"People have been really excited to come in and sit for a coffee and have a chat with other residents. That's been great to see.”

Charlotte Youth Create Fun Way to Help The Salvation Army

Having a lemonade stand is fun. In fact, Fincher Nelson, age 7, and her sister Emory, enjoyed hosting their own last Thanksgiving. However, it just whet their appetite. They wanted to do something else, and they wanted to make a difference in the process by raising money for people in need.
 
That’s when a unique idea came to them: they could sell paper airplanes and artwork in their neighborhood. As they discussed the idea with friends, they joined forces with neighbors and good friends the Caudles, who brought their origami skills to the table.
 
In early 2022, the kids bundled up and gathered creations on a table in the front yard – brightly colored airplanes, neatly folded paper cranes and more.
 
By the end, the group had sold enough paper creations to make a nearly $200 donation, and they chose The Salvation Army’s Center of Hope in Charlotte, North Carolina to benefit.
 
When The Salvation Army thinks of “helpers,” families like the Nelson and Caudle families spring to mind, and that is true of kids like Fincher, Emory, Aaron, Aria and Andrew.

The Salvation Army partners with local Sheriff’s Department to break Red Kettle record

The Salvation Army of the Midlands partnered with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department to break a local record in the 2021 Red Kettle Campaign.
 
This first-time partnership raised over $1,400 in one day at a single store location, greatly helping to further the local work of The Salvation Army in the Columbia, S.C. area.
 
Since 1906, community partners in the Midlands have helped to raise awareness and funds for The Salvation Army through the Red Kettle program.
 
“Each volunteer that comes out to ring the bell for The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign not only contributes to its success, but the gift of their volunteer time is invaluable,” said Major Mark Craddock, area commander for The Salvation Army of the Midlands.
Thanks to the partnership with the local Sherriff’s department, this level of support from the community helped raise an overall kettle count of over $240,00 this past Christmas season. These funds will help The Salvation Army to continue their mission in helping individuals and families in need all year long.
 

The Salvation Army and Sheetz Provide Holiday Gifts to 10,000 Kids

The Salvation Army and “Sheetz For the Kidz”, (a charity organization created by the convenience store chain), have collaborated to bring holiday cheer for those in need for many years. As millions of individuals and families faced incredible need in 2021 due to lingering effects of the pandemic, the partnership responded with more than $1.8 million of new toys, clothes, and other basic needs around the holidays for more than 10,000 kids.
“The Sheetz for the Kidz Holiday Program has had a profound impact on thousands of kids and parents across many years and multiple states,” said Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder, National Commander of The Salvation Army. “We are grateful that when the need was great due to the pandemic, we could count on Sheetz for the Kidz to be even greater for those we serve.” 
The Salvation Army recognizes that many American families face impossible choices around the holidays, like whether to pay a utility bill or to provide Christmas gifts for their children. Programs like Sheetz For the Kidz take the burden off parents and empower them to enjoy the holidays with their children.

Parent’s Second Time Around

At a time when people in their later years should be enjoying retirement, some grandparents find themselves starting from scratch and raising their grandchildren. Many children in Connecticut find themselves without parents to raise them due to issues with drug addiction, incarceration and even the death of a parent. That’s where grandparents often step in.  As you may be able to imagine, raising young grandchildren comes with many challenges including a lack of resources, peer support, guidance, and energy. The Salvation Army’s Parents Second Time Around program in Hartford, CT provides relative caregivers the support necessary to raise and provide effective care for the children they are parenting. The support includes sharing information on how to be a parent today, educational sessions focused on well-being, child development, health and safety checks, mentoring, and providing caregivers and children with mental, physical, and spiritual support.
 
https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/southern-new-england/hartford/parents-second-time-around/

Love Beyond

Many people associate The Salvation Army with bell ringers at Christmas. Yet, few know the role the organization plays in helping suffering humanity throughout the year and how we love beyond the holidays.
This week, The Salvation Army launched its new campaign for the year, Love Beyond- to show how, with your help, we can love beyond Christmas, beyond hunger, and beyond hard times.
 
Just $25 a month supports local families in need- visit SALVATIONARMYUSA.ORG

The Salvation Army Welcomes Unhoused in From Winter Storms

The Salvation Army is serving individuals and families struggling with freezing temperatures, snow, and power outages across the country and preparing for additional waves of potentially deadly conditions.
This comes at the same time the organization responds to wildfires in the West, provides long-term hurricane and tornado recovery, and aids families hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
"While the most vulnerable members of our society find themselves left out in the cold, The Salvation Army opens our doors to offer more than a hot meal," said Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder, National Commander of The Salvation Army.
With 7,000 centers of operation already serving in every ZIP code, the organization is able to quickly ramp up winter services across the country to provide shelter, food, clothing, and emotional and spiritual care to the most vulnerable.
Since March 2020, The Salvation Army has provided more than 300 million meals and hundreds of millions of dollars in utility, rent, and mortgage assistance to America's most vulnerable.
For more information on how The Salvation Army helps Hope March On, visit salvationarmyusa.org.