Salvation Army Today
Salvation Army Today is a bi-weekly, 1-minute show about Salvation Army happenings and news from around the world. This is the audio version of the YouTube channel of the same name. Learn more at https://salvationarmysoundcast.org/satoday
Episodes
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
The Salvation Army Pilots New Training in Mental Health First Aid
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
The Salvation Army remains dedicated to assisting survivors and first responders with critical services before, during, and after disaster events. To better their ability to serve, The Salvation Army Southern Territory, in partnership with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, recently hosted a Mental Health First Aid training for many of their Emergency Disaster.
Mental Health First Aid focuses on providing individuals with the skills necessary to be the first line of support for those experiencing mental health and substance use challenges. Participants are taught to recognize and respond to warning signs and to serve as the vital link between a person experiencing a new or worsening mental health challenge and appropriate professional support, self-help, or other support strategies.
As disaster and emergency management professionals are often on the front lines of traumatic events, these skills will be an invaluable addition to their toolset. With this training, teams will not only be able to aid disaster survivors but also provide support to team members both in the field and at home.
To learn more or offer your support visit https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Kids’ Club Helps Empower Children and Builds Bonds
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Tuesday Mar 05, 2024
Every Wednesday, The Salvation Army in Brockville, Ontario, hosts a fun initiative called the Kids’ Club. This program provides children with learning, games, and even a meal after school. Additionally, it serves as a bridge to connect new families with The Salvation Army.
The program runs from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. And it’s open to students between Grades 2 and 6. During this time, children participate in games, crafts, and a biblical and moral teaching component. They are also served dinner.
While the kids are split into groups during activities, the dinner brings everyone together where the first step towards family connections is taken.
Hearing what the children have to say also allows the staff to learn about each child’s interests. Some of the attendees have connected to the junior band program, and were additionally able to attend music camp with The Salvation Army.
Since its creation in 2022, Kids’ Club has been joined by nearly 80 children from seven different schools.
Despite being a kid’s program, Kids’ Club helps The Salvation Army to connect with families and people of all ages.
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Healthy Snacks Program Fills in a Gap for Struggling Families
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Throughout the entire school year, The Salvation Army in Abbotsford, B.C., runs a program that allows students ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade to have access to nutritious snacks at any time while at school. The program is called Pantry34.
This initiative started over 15 years ago to fill a need and to complement other school meal programs.
Once the orders are taken and prepared by staff at The Salvation Army, a community partner helps with the delivery to the schools. Teachers or school support workers have the discretion to select students who will benefit from the program.
That’s something that differentiates Pantry34 from other meal programs, is that it is more discreet, and students can access the snacks upon request.
A key highlight of Pantry34 is its focus on providing healthy options to students. This initiative helps students shift their appetite to healthy food and drinks by limiting access to processed products and by encouraging them to follow these nutritious ways outside of school.
Tuesday Feb 27, 2024
Hurricane Ida Long-Term Recovery: Two Years Later
Tuesday Feb 27, 2024
Tuesday Feb 27, 2024
After a catastrophic event, recovery comes in waves. First, comes the immediate needs, like food, water, and shelter. But once power has been restored, debris has been removed, and the community at large has slowly started the return to “normal,” there is still much to be done.
In fact, for survivors whose homes have been destroyed, the journey to a new normal has just begun. Even when they manage to find new lodging, they must slowly begin to replace everything else they’ve lost. To address these issues, The Salvation Army partners with government agencies and other non-profits to pool resources and fund long-term recovery projects as a group.
In Louisiana, this process is ongoing for many residents affected by Hurricane Ida in August of 2021. After months of initial response, The Salvation Army has continued to serve affected populations with over $800,000 paid out to survivors and overall, three million dollars have been allocated to Hurricane Ida long-term recovery.
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Emergency Warming Shelter in Victoria BC
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
While Victoria, B.C., is on average the “warmest city in Canada”, these past weeks’ temperatures have not lived up to that title.
The city has experienced record-breaking low temperatures, and as a result, there’s concern for people experiencing homelessness, who are not accustomed to dealing with this type of extreme cold.
During days of extreme weather, the city of Victoria triggers the Emergency Weather Response, which allows The Salvation Army to temporarily expand the capacity of its emergency shelter at the Addictions and Rehabilitation Center, becoming an extreme weather shelter.
The Extreme Weather Shelter is open from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Clients who access the shelter are registered and offered a hot meal and a place to have a good night’s sleep.
The high demand brings logistical challenges for the staff at the shelter. Thankfully they have been able to deal with it so far. However, it is a reminder that they could use whatever support from the community that they can get.
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
Goodwill and The Salvation Army Join Forces in Macon, Georgia
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
The Salvation Army is partnering with Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia, Inc. and Helms Career Education on a first-of-its kind endeavor in Macon, Georgia.
The organizations are joining forces in their mission to lift individuals out of poverty and homelessness by breaking down systematic barriers to employment and opening access to meaningful work opportunities.
This program is the first of its kind across the country. It offers hands-on training and even job placements. This is also the first formal partnership that we know of between Goodwill and The Salvation Army.
Classes are offered free of charge to qualifying individuals, with specific programs focusing on administrative and office skills, forklift operation and safety, construction safety, customer service and sales, and more. These classes are both practical and vital for individuals to gain experience and proceed toward sustainable career options.
As with any Salvation Army initiative, the overarching focus is not only helping people succeed in practical terms but doing so while focusing on the soul-saving mission.
Learn more at southernusa.salvationarmy.org
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Toyota Supports The Salvation Army’s Walk in My Boots Outreach
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Toyota Motor North America stepped in for the 13th consecutive year to support a local Detroit community through its “Walk In My Boots” community outreach project. On Monday, January 15th, more than 125 family members from The Salvation Army received much needed new insulated winter boots and socks to help shield families from the cold and snow.
With the winter snowstorm that fell upon Michigan and the below-zero temperatures, the boots and socks came just in time.
It was a great afternoon as Toyota brought a ray of sunshine and warmth to the families. One family member said, “God is always right on time, and I am so grateful to Toyota for giving my family these boots. We had a major snowstorm. And now, my kids don’t have to walk to school in the cold without boots.”
With this project, in Detroit alone, Toyota has donated over 2,300 pairs of boots and socks to local families and contributed over $175,000 to The Salvation Army Great Lakes Division.
To learn more about The Salvation Army in Detroit, visit https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Former Salvation Army Client Helps Others Break the Cycle of Addiction
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
While facing incarceration in 2018, Spencer Kell decided to change his life and break free of a cycle of jail and addiction.
Spencer was granted bail to seek rehabilitation. He turned to The Salvation Army’s Booth Centre in Ottawa Canada and accessed the Stabilization addiction treatment program.
After getting clean, Spencer knew what direction he wanted to take. He was accepted into a community service worker program at a local college.
Spencer believes that if it wasn’t for The Salvation Army taking him in, he might not have had his freedom today.
Currently, he is preparing to open the Manie Daniels Rehab Centre in Maberly, Ont., which aims to provide addiction support to people awaiting trial. The center was named in honor of his close friend and former cellmate, Maine Daniels, who died of an overdose shortly after being released.
Spencer plans to incorporate lessons learned from his positive experience at the Booth Centre into his new initiative.
Learn more at https://ontarioca.salvationarmy.org/
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Red Shield answers Code Blue in Buffalo
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
In January, The Salvation Army in Buffalo, N.Y., debuted a new location to help the community during winter’s coldest nights.
Space that had been set aside during preparations for a larger Salvation Army building project was turned into the Army’s Code Blue shelter. The facility, having had all its programs relocated, would be free for months. It was perfect timing.
The Army sent out the notice on social media about the new Code Blue location. Almost immediately, Amazon packages and donations of sheets, blankets, and bedding began arriving at The Salvation Army.
On the first night, ten individuals used the facility; the following night, the number had gone up to 50.
Two individuals came approached the local Salvation Army officer and expressed how thankful they were to be there. One of them said it was the first real sleep he had in a month.
To learn about Salvation Army programs and services near you, visit SALVATIONARMYUSA.ORG
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Southwest Pilot Helps Snack Pack Program ‘Take Off’
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Lauren Van Damme, a pilot for Southwest Airlines for 19 years, met The Salvation Army through the Angel Tree program in Columbia, South Carolina. She was so impressed with the Army’s mission and ministry that she became a faithful member of the advisory board.
Out of all of The Salvation Army’s programs, the Snack Pack program became near and dear to her heart.
The Snack Pack program supplies lunch bags with snack items for kids, high in protein and low in sugar. Attention is also given to avoiding products which may affect allergies in kids, such as peanuts.
What’s equally important to this nutritious program is the number of doors of opportunity opened to The Salvation Army.
In Charleston County, police patrol cars follow the Salvation Army canteen throughout low-income neighborhoods. While police officers build positive relationships with the kids, The Army distributes the Snack Packs, knowing that it might be the only nutritious food they will have that day.
Through this program, a monthly movie night, a local swimming program, and a mobile pharmacy have been developed.
To learn about Salvation Army programs near you, visit SALVATIONARMYUSA.ORG