Salvation Army Today

The Salvation Army Launches New Territorial Priorities

The Salvation Army USA Southern Territory is excited to announce our new territorial priorities. Under the umbrella of “All for Jesus” and encompassed by a previous territorial mission statement, the main focus points are love, serve, and disciple.
 
Commissioner Kelly Igleheart says this comes after several years of discussion, research, and evaluating the “why” of The Salvation Army.
 
Every year the territory will focus on one of the three main priorities, providing additional resources and information for that specific area of ministry. This year’s focus will be “DISCIPLE.”
 
These priorities are not just for the churches; they’re for every soldier, officer, employee, and advisory board member as well.
 
Commissioner Kelly says they anticipate, first and foremost, the growth of the Kingdom through this initiative. “’All for Jesus’ is really the umbrella of everything that we do. It’s the true north of what our purposes are … to glorify Him, to build the Kingdom of God, to bring The Army closer to Christ and Christ’s values. And our dual mission of serving humanity.”
https://southernusa.salvationarmy.org/uss/our-priorities
 

Waking up on ‘holy grounds’

The children of asylum–seekers joyfully zip around on scooters and play games on the floor of the Salvation Army gym in Portland, Maine, as they wait for dinner; sharing the space with 77 people. Hundreds of asylum–seekers from various countries in Africa are showing up in Portland, but the housing market is tight and there are few prospects for work.
The Salvation Army officers here are simply focused on helping people through the love of Christ.
By providing families with English as a Second Language classes, life skills, and computer classes they are helping setup families for employment opportunities.
The organization is also working with the Maine Immigrants Rights Coalition to provide space for these 77 people, many of whom get coffee in the morning from the Army’s “Holy Grounds” coffee ministry.
Over coffee, Salvation Army officers and employees are able to identify the best next steps for each of these families.

Back to School Event in Queens, NY

Captain Stanley Pierre-Louis said The Salvation Army’s back-to-school distribution at the Jamaica Citadel Corps Community Center in Queens, N.Y., saw a large increase in families seeking help this year.
 
He said his church partnered with Chase Bank and private donors to meet the needs of 370 families with backpacks and other school supplies on August 30th. People came to this community from all over, including Africa, Venezuela, Ukraine, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Haiti.
 
The back-to-school event also featured hot dogs, juice, water, coffee, and hot chocolate.
 
It also was an opportunity to let the public know about children’s music and arts programs, Bible studies, prayer meetings and other youth programs at The Salvation Army, along with Vacation Bible School, Star Lake Camp, and the new Pathway of Hope program being offered at the church.
https://salvationarmysoundcast.org/
 

The Salvation Army Provides Students with a Healthy Breakfast

While the importance of breakfast is well known, many people don’t always get a chance to have it every day due to limited time or resources.
 
With early starts in high schools, secondary school students are among the group that doesn’t always get to enjoy a healthy meal in the morning. To address this, The Salvation Army in Saskatoon, Canada has developed the Breakfast Program.
 
The program runs throughout the school year, four days a week. A Salvation Army truck arrives at different high schools each morning. Thanks to announcements made by the schools, students know when the truck is coming so they are ready to go outside and receive their meal. The program is open to any student, with no restrictions.
 
As food prices continue to rise, more schools are trying to implement the breakfast program as part of their routine.
 
Currently, there are plans to expand the program to more schools.
Being able to provide this program is a great way to show students that they are cared for.
 

Partnership with FedEx Provides Valuable Service Across the Country

In the second quarter of 2023, FedEx’s mobile feeding units proved vital in The Salvation Army’s efforts to serve their communities. The mobile feeding units were used in outreach events, disaster relief, and homeless feeding programs, and over this quarter alone- the mobile canteens were deployed to 47 different events, with over 32,000 people served.
 
These canteens helped The Salvation Army serve survivors and first responders after a tornado swept across Indiana on March 31st; and several tornados impacted Arkansas and Tennessee.
 
These canteens have also been crucial in homeless feeding programs in Miami, Baltimore and Virginia.
The Salvation Army is greatly appreciative of the support of FedEx and their donation of mobile feeding units and will continue to utilize them to further support our communities.
 
To learn more about The Salvation Army’s responses to disasters across the country, visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org

The Salvation Army remembers Merrimack Valley

On the afternoon of September 13th, 2018, overpressured natural gas lines in the Merrimack Valley area in Massachusetts caused explosions across the towns of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. For two and a half hours, over 80 fires caused homes to be destroyed in the area, with the damage costs totaling over $1 billion. The memory of that day continues to shape the work of the Salvation Army Massachusetts Emergency Disaster Services (EDS), as well as the pastors and spiritual leaders who came with them to Merrimack.
 
The Salvation Army had a hot meal and an ear to listen to the families who didn’t know if they still had a house to go home to. 
 
At the recovery center, families could get gift certificates and vouchers to help them rebuild, but what they really appreciated was the presence of someone to listen, offer encouragement, and be reassured that they were not alone in this tragedy.
 
To learn more about The Salvation Army’s response to disasters, visit disaster.salvationarmyusa.org
 

Salvation Army is still helping in Maui with food and emotional support

On Tuesday August 8th, wildfires were ignited and spread across the Hawaiian island of Maui. The wildfires consumed thousands of acres including historic Lahaina (luh-HI-nuh) displacing more than 11,000 people from their homes. The fires have tragically claimed 115 lives.
 
The Salvation Army Lahaina Lighthouse complex was among the structures lost, including the administrative building, church, thrift store, and residential quarters.
 
Despite the loss of the physical buildings, Salvation Army officers and volunteers are still in Lahaina, working to serve those who have lost everything.
 
The Salvation Army is partnering with local emergency management and community leaders, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), and other nonprofits to serve evacuees and first responders. Salvation Army disaster workers are actively providing food, emotional and spiritual care, and other needed resources.
 
To learn more and offer your support, visit https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/
 

‘Wrestling for All’ Clinic at the Camden Kroc

On Saturday, August 19th, Olympic gold medalist and six-time world freestyle wrestling champion Jordan Burroughs hosted a “Wrestling for All” clinic at The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Community Center in Camden, NJ.
Burroughs, a native of Camden attended Salvation Army summer camps and programs in his youth. During the day-long session, he and a team of fellow wrestlers demonstrated the stances, techniques, and drills that freestyle wrestlers practice for the sport. And after, the wrestlers shared their personal stories on how they got to where they are today.
 
Burroughs, a devoted Christian, says he is grateful to partner with a like-minded organization like The Salvation Army.
 
Burroughs said, “I could not have achieved what I have in life without my faith. If you ask me what is one thing that I could give to the world to instantly change it for the better, the first thing I say is faith and a connection with God. The second is wrestling.”
 
To see if there’s a Kroc center near you, visit https://www.kroccenter.org/
 

Veterans reflect on 30 years of fellowship at Salvation Army Camp Tecumseh

This month, The Salvation Army celebrated its 30th summer welcoming veterans and their families to Camp Tecumseh in Pittstown, New Jersey.
At this five-day yearly retreat, veterans can enjoy time with fellow vets, heal through group therapy, and even develop or restrengthen their own connection with the Lord. Just like the traditional summer camp experience for children, they can also participate in activities such as foot races, swimming, sports, and much more.
 
Retired U.S. Air Force veteran Tracey Gilliam has been coming to the Salvation Army Veterans Camp for 27 years. He remembers seeing the campgrounds grow from unpaved roads and old tents into what it is today.
 
Tracey stated that,
“There are guys who grew up in cities like Newark who have never held a fishing pole in their life, but here, they can try fishing together. I would walk to the space under the camp tabernacle, overlooking the lake, and just sit and stare at the water. It’s nature’s therapy,”
 
To learn more and read the full story- visit SACONNECTS.ORG

Back to School Bash

The Salvation Army and First National Bank organized a Back-to-School Bash in the South Hills area, specifically for students around Pittsburgh. The event took place on a Saturday and aimed to prepare students for the upcoming school year.  
The Back-to-School Bash was held at the Salvation Army Pittsburgh Temple and Service Center.
During the event, students were provided with items such as new backpacks, school supplies, gently used clothing, and shoes. And on top of that, there were on-site provisions for free haircuts, as well as food and engaging family activities.
 
Major Justin Caldwell from the Salvation Army expressed that this time of year can be challenging for families, and he finds it rewarding to be able to assist those in need.
 
To find help near you, visit https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/