I N I T I AT I V E
11 UNIQUE WAYS WE MEET NEED
The Salvation Army serves in more than 130 countries around the world and in every U.S. zip code, working to meet human needs in every community—exactly as that community needs. Every program is rooted in a passion to serve God by serving the hurting, the helpless and the hopeless. In the Western Territory, The Salvation Army serves the 13 Western states in addition to Guam and Micronesia. With a geographic area that large, the scope of service often takes unique forms. Here are 11 ways The Salvation Army tailors its service to meet the distinct needs of people in the West.
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CARING 2023
1. COMPLETING HIGH SCHOOL WITH SUPPORT AS A PARENTING TEEN
Located on The Salvation Army Booth Campus in Boise, Idaho, Cardinal Academy is a cost-free charter school for pregnant and parenting young people—women and men—ages 14 to 21. The Salvation Army Booth Program for Young Parents partners with the school, providing wrap-around services. Rebecca Arnold was on track to complete high school when life took an unexpected turn, and she became pregnant. After leaving school and later pursuing her GED, she heard about the program from a friend who found it on Facebook and was able to earn her degree. “Just because you have a baby, your story is not over,” she said. “It just means you have to work a little harder, which is OK…The Salvation Army is there for them. There’s always help. There’s always hope.”
2. COOKING UP NEW BEGINNINGS IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
In the culinary arts program at Hope Harbor in Lodi, California, Chef Barry Crall leads students from local recovery and rehabilitation programs through 16 weeks of intensive kitchen skill development with a goal to launch careers in the local hospitality industry. Since the program’s launch in 2007, hundreds of students have graduated and gone on to work in the culinary field. This success brings Lodi Corps Officer Major Mark Thielenhaus immense joy. “When I walk into a restaurant and someone comes out of the kitchen and says, ‘This is where I’m working now. I’m excited to serve you lunch,’ it reminds me that the program helps people change for the long-term,” Thielenhaus said. “Workforce development must be a part of rehabilitation.”
3. CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN REMOTE STRETCHES OF ALASKA
For more than 50 years, The Salvation Army has partnered with the Alaska National Guard to collect and pack gifts for Operation Santa Claus (Op Santa), which aims to deliver the joy of