New Frontier Chronicle September/October 2022 | Vol. 40, No. 5

NEWS FROM THE SALVATION ARMY USA WEST SINCE 1983 • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 • VOL. 40, NO. 5

The Salvation Army fills gaps in Anchorage

BY HILLARY JACKSON

PAID

Dottie Kreps has seen God working in her community.

He was there when a woman came to the bank Kreps worked at to open an account for The Salvation Army. And when that woman told Kreps she was looking for a volunteer to run the service extension unit (SEU) that would provide care and support to the people of Benson, Arizona.

He was there when Kreps said, yes, she would help. And he was there in each of the volunteer efforts Kreps went on to organize these past 25 years: the Angel Trees and the food drives and the Stuff the Bus school supply collections.

“Every year, we have a God thing happen,” Kreps said. “A moment where we see him working so clearly…I don’t know

CAMPGROUND PAGE 11

SERVICE EXTENSION PAGE 10

30840 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

BY VIVIAN LOPEZ

The Salvation Army

(L to r): Lt. Colonel Ivan Wild, Dottie Kreps, Colonel Olin Hogan |PHOTO COURTESY SCOTT JOHNSON

Initiative honors service extension volunteers In the Southwest, The Salvation Army recognizes those who help serve in every zip code.

BY CAITLIN JOHNSTON

Utility assistance programs offer relief amid record inflation

PERMIT NO. 1831 LOS ANGELES, CA

NON PROFIT US POSTAGE

Divisional Secretary and Incident Commander Captain Kevin Pope and team members build tents at the Centennial Campground. |PHOTO COURTESY ALASKA DIVISION

As the date approached for the closure of the mass shelter at Anchorage’s Sullivan Arena for those experiencing homelessness during the pandemic, the question became: Where are people going to go?

The Municipality of Anchorage worked with local nonprofits to identify solutions for individuals who wanted to find housing or seek treatment options, according to Alaska Public Media.

When the shelter closed by the Municipality on June 30, those who had not been placed were taken to the Centennial Campground and provided with a tent, blanket and mat for camping.

At the campground, which is located about 15 minutes from the arena, what started as a group of about 30 individuals grew to over 150, said Salvation Army Anchorage Social Services Director Captain Denice Delgado, who is charged with handling the day-to-day management of client care at the campground. “[It was a] you-build-it-they-willcome type of mentality,” she said, noting the number of people at the site changes daily. “Everybody just kept coming.”

And with the people came human needs. Because the number of people

With utility assistance, it’s just another practical way to help people who are in need.

—CAPTAIN DOUG HANSON

Amid a record-breaking inflation rate, American households are having to make hard choices about how to spend their money, including on essentials like utilities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the cost of energy services—including electricity and gas—has increased nearly 20 percent in the last 12 months.

Utility assistance programs at Salvation Army corps in the Western U.S. are becoming vital lifelines for people in need of relief from rising costs.

Salvation Army Reno (Nevada) Corps Officer Major Darren Trimmer said the corps has seen a greater need for utility assistance.

“Combined with all other items that have gone up as a result of inflation, like gas and food, it’s made a significant dent in our clients’ overall financial budget. The clients are forced to make tough decisions…on, ‘Do I pay this or do I pay this?’” Trimmer said.

“Being able to help with energy assistance, it provides a little extra cushion.”

The Reno Corps’ utility assistance program is funded through a grant that’s annually awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). With last year’s funds, the corps was able to help 127 people with utility bills.

And the demand for aid is

high. Trimmer noted that people who haven’t sought assistance from The Salvation Army in a while have started to come back.

“Because of prices, bills are UTILITIES PAGE 11

INSIDE

2 6 8 15

THE LOVE WE'RE CALLED TO

By Lt. Colonel Kyle Smith

'BINGO!'

Corps transforms familiar game into ministry.

BACK TO LIFE

Turlock Corps community garden blooms anew.

KNOW YOUR ARMY

Crack the code of Salvation Army acronyms.

2

UP FRONT

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

“

It’s the consistent small moments of showing up with the love of Jesus that make the difference.

As it turns out, it's the only thing that counts.

”

—LT. COLONEL KYLE SMITH

Caring is a magazine from The Salvation Army for people who care about making an impact for good.

As a Salvation Army officer or employee, you’ll also find a curated collection of inspiring news for you in the New Frontier Chronicle print edition and our email newsletter, the Weekly.

See more at caringmagazine.org.

Published by The Salvation Army USA Western Territory 30840 Hawthorne Blvd.

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 General Information 562/436-7000 Commissioner Douglas Riley, Territorial Commander Colonel Kelly Igleheart, Chief Secretary Lt. Colonel Kyle Smith, Communications Secretary newfrontierchronicle.org

T

The love we’re called to Lt. Colonel Kyle Smith

here are some moments in life you just never forget. It may not be spectacular or even noteworthy to others, but for you, the moment touches your heart and impacts your life in ways you will never forget.

For me, as an impressionable young teenager, I remember Mr. Jewkes passing by me at the corps, smiling and stopping to ask how I was doing—and waiting for an answer that went beyond the usual “fine.” I remember Mr. Coombridge, who sat next to me in my corps brass band, and always had a kind word. Of course, my uncles always had time to invest in me.

Perhaps you've had those same sorts of peoIn honor of outgoing ple in your life—people Communications who were there, showing Secretary Lt. Colonel you love in the simplest of Kyle Smith, enjoy a ways at the very moments crossword created you needed them most. especially for him at I will never forget one caringmagazine.org/ snowy Sunday in Spocrossword kane, Washington, when Lisa and I were corps officers. We had taken our corps Singing Company to a retirement home to sing Christmas carols. When we finished singing, one of the residents came up to me. With excitement, she shared how she planned on leaving The Salvation Army $1 million in her estate. When I asked her why, she told me when she was a young girl, during the depression, a Salvation Army officer gave her an orange at Christmas.

I smiled politely, frankly underwhelmed by her description of the gift she had received. She must have sensed it because she grabbed my arm and said, “No, no. You don’t get it. This was the depression! We had nothing, and you gave me a juicy, fresh orange—something we never got in those days!” She had not forgotten the impact and blessing of that moment.

We read in Galatians 5:6: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love.

@nfchronicle EDITORIAL STAFF Christin Thieme, Editor-in-Chief and Literary Secretary 562/491-8723 christin.thieme@usw.salvationarmy.org Hillary Jackson, Managing Editor 562/491-8330 hillary.jackson@usw.salvationarmy.org Karen Gleason, Senior Editor 562/491-8332 karen.gleason@usw.salvationarmy.org Lou Buhl, Editor 562/491-8343 lou.buhl@usw.salvationarmy.org ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA Cory Gaudaur, Digital Operations Director 562/491-8326 cory.gaudaur@usw.salvationarmy.org Emily Anderson, Social Media Editor 562/491-8793 emily.anderson@usw.salvationarmy.org LAYOUT AND DESIGN Kevin Dobruck, Art Director 562/491-8328 kevin.dobruck@usw.salvationarmy.org New Frontier Chronicle founded 1983 Bob Docter, Founding Editor ISSN 2164-5930 westernusa.salvationarmy.org

individual responses to those around us. This is the love that fuels our Salvation Army as we serve those who are excluded, overlooked or ignored.

May we never find ourselves in the prophet Jonah’s shoes. His story makes it clear that it is possible to do the will of God without the loving heart of God. Let’s make sure to love those we help with all our hearts, no matter where they come from or how they got where they are.

We must be like Mr. Coombridge and Mr. Jewkes, a reflection of Jesus, showing kindness and grace. And it’s not difficult. It can come through a smile and a word of encouragement—or even the gift of an orange at Christmas.

This is the love that wins the hearts of men and women. This is what will change the world. This is what we're called to do in Jesus’ name. NFC

NATIONAL SEMINAR ON EVANGELISM

The Western Territory sent 27 delegates from across five divisions to the 2022 National Seminar on Evangelism (NSE), Aug. 6–13 at Camp Hoblitzelle in Midlothian, Texas.

"A question was asked that impacted my life: Do you love him enough to tell somebody about Jesus? If I make myself available with what it is in my hands, it becomes God’s for him to use to bring others to Christ; then I can say with confidence every day, ‘Lord help me to lead one more,’” said attendee Reyna Mejia from the Long Beach (California) Red Shield

NEW APPOINTMENTS Appointments effective Aug. 17 unless otherwise stated. *Indicates additional responsibilities

CASCADE DIVISION Major Kimberly Williams VAVS Representative*

COLLEGE FOR OFFICER TRAINING Major Hannah Lee Personnel Officer—Effective July 20

DEL ORO DIVISION Major Pamilla Brackenbury Divisional Secretary for Program* Captains Faith and Stephen Hartt Corps Officers, Auburn Corps —Effective Aug. 3, 2022

new.frontier@usw.salvationarmy.org newfrontierchronicle

Often Salvation Army officers, soldiers, employees and volunteers can become so accustomed to serving others in need, that we start to feel our small gestures of love and kindness don’t amount to much. How wrong we are! It’s the consistent small moments of showing up with the love of Jesus that make the difference. As it turns out, it’s the only thing that counts.

This kind of love is not something you can fake—it is the divine gift of a genuine concern for the wellbeing of another person who may not be able to give anything back. It is a pure love for the soul, and this is the love that transforms people. The Bible also tells us that it is by our love that others will know we are followers of Jesus (John 13:35). Because of God’s love within us, we can love and serve others generously. This is the love that fuels our

CALIFORNIA SOUTH DIVISION Majors Neil and Rubina Navarro Corps Officers, Cathedral City Corps

DO GOODERS PODCAST

WITH CHRISTIN THIEME

Where you can tune in for good ideas.

Get inspiration from the experts on how to do good and find meaning along the way.

Then make an impact for good right where you are.

Subscribe in your favorite podcast player now and see more at caringmagazine.org/dogooderspodcast.

GOLDEN STATE DIVISION Major Diane Madsen Divisional Community Care Ministries Secretary* —Effective June 29 Majors Greg and Orpha Moody Older Adult Ministries Secretaries and VAVS Secretaries*—Effective June 29 Major Debora Donini Campus Chaplain*—Effective June 29 HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDS DIVISION Captain Samuel LaMar Hawaii County Coordinator* NORTHWEST DIVISION Captains Stephanie and Steven Pavlakis Corps Officers, Seattle Temple

Captains Hilda & James Parks Corps Officers, Renton Corps TRANSFERRING OUT OF TERRITORY Lt. Cols. Kyle and Lisa Smith Chief Secretary and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar Territory­—Effective Nov. 1

RETIREMENTS

Majors Ralph (Jr.) and Dianne Jiminez —October 2022, Special Projects Officers Northwest Division

FIRST YEAR CADETS

DEFENDERS OF JUSTICE SESSION (2022–2024) Jennifer Breazeale, Albuquerque Citadel Nicolas Carrillo-Saad, Yuba Sutter Corps Maria Duenas, Yuba Sutter Corps Joseph Duran-Calhoon, Las Vegas Citadel Faaoloviti Faasavalu, Long Beach Citadel Stacie Faasavalu, Long Beach Citadel Andrew Flockhart, Phoenix Kroc Center Sheryl Flockhart, Phoenix Kroc Center Samuel Gilmore, Salt Lake City Corps Sean Pease, Denver Red Shield Brian Reed, Tacoma Corps Emily Reed, Tacoma Corps Alexis Jordan Sargent, Yakima Corps

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

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Captain Lisa Barnes stands with a participant at the 2018 Brave Event in Seattle. |PHOTO COURTESY LISA BARNES

Life changing engagement with foster care Children participate in a science experiment as part of the "Help On The Go" program at LA Korean Corps.

|PHOTO COURTESY JULIA JUNG

HELP ON THE GO

A peer tutoring program launched at the height of the pandemic— now, it’s expanding.

W

BY KRISTIN MARGUERITE DOIDGE

hen three ambitious, creative teenagers at Los Angeles Korean Corps noticed the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic had created for their peers—and some of their younger (and older) friends at The Salvation Army—they not only took action, but found a way to catalyze others in the community to do the same.

Their grassroots nonprofit tutoring program called “Help On the Go” started as a way of helping fellow students impacted by school closures that began in March 2020, when more than 6 million students all over the state of California shifted to online instruction in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“Help On the Go started with a small

I never thought that this program would be so crucial and meaningful to my life…through so much work, perseverance and teamwork…that dream became a reality.

—REGINA LEE

dream to help kids,” said Regina Lee, a high school senior and founder of the program. “I never thought that this program would be so crucial and meaningful to my life…through so much work, perseverance and teamwork…that dream became a reality.”

Under the guidance of Julia Jung, who serves as coordinator, Lee, Peony Yeon and Jonah Jung each started by volunteering to help out with homework over Zoom sessions after school. Soon, as they saw the need for more materials and support, they started putting together their own fundraising events, and raised $3,000 to help purchase textbooks

for the 45 students participating in the program.

Help On the Go offers subjects like math, science, book club, music, art, 3D printing, English and history, with the option of group classes or private classes. It is currently open to any new students or tutors who are interested in joining.

“Each tutor brings their own specializations in art, science, math,” said Julia Jung. “Now we have 15 tutors supporting students in California, Arizona and Washington.”

As for Yeon, who is also a senior in high school, she found that sharing TUTORING PAGE 10

Young musicians gather at WMI

With 109 delegates from all the West’s divisions, Western Music Institute (WMI) met July 29–Aug. 6 at Pine Summit Camp in Big Bear, California, with a final concert at the Tustin Ranch Corps.

The group included two international delegates, representing Holland and England. Pictured clockwise are the WMI 2022 delegates, s’mores-making during campfire night, the WMI timbrelists and participants in the first-ever mariachi elective class. WMI last met in person in 2019. Neil Smith is Western Territorial Music Secretary. |PHOTOS BY TERRON CRAIG

Here's how The Salvation Army can start.

BY LISA BARNES, CAPTAIN

My name is Lisa Barnes, and I am a Foster Care Alumni. That sounds so much more redemptive than “Former Foster Youth,” which is the more common term for adults who spent time in the foster care system; and in The Salvation Army, we are in the business of redemption.

My birth mother was an addict and prostitute, and as a result of this sickness and the subsequent abuse in our home, I found myself in approximately 35 foster and group homes that I can remember. I am sure that there are more that I don’t remember, so that number is a conservative estimate. Through all of those experiences in foster care I was never abused or neglected or mistreated in any way. In fact, I don’t even remember being yelled at—which is a big deal because I was a bit of a monster as a kid. Extreme trauma will do that to a person.

When I first started attending the Army as a teenager, my Youth Pastor— Lorrie Davis, who was the Youth Pastor in Gresham, Oregon, for over 20 years—never gave up on me. I was off and on in foster care during that season, and Lorrie always found a way to contact me and make sure I could come to church and youth group whenever possible in spite of my proclivities toward anger or violence.

My guiding absolute truth was that I was unlovable. That extended to believing that Jesus couldn’t love me.

Lorrie broke that down in my life. No matter what I did she just kept loving and including me. Eventually that led me to the thoughts, “Lorrie loves me all the time, even when I am really bad. If she can love me for real…. Maybe Jesus can, too.” Someone in The Salvation Army caring for a broken kid in foster care is the foundation of my salvation story—and shifted the trajectory of my entire life.

Fast forward to 2015 when I find out about a program called Brave, which is an empowerment movement for girls in foster care between the ages of 12-18. I wrote the first installment of the curriculum for this in a guided journal format.

I have done Brave events in Seattle and now in Las Vegas. I am also the Brave FOSTER CARE PAGE 11

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NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

An atheist's story of finding God

World turned right side up

BY ANDREW FLOCKHART

I found God at the Dallas-Lovefield Airport on a business trip. This trip had been particularly stressful. As I sat at the gate waiting for my flight home, my mind was broiling with thoughts, reliving the day and trying to work through the challenges I faced. I found myself sitting with my eyes closed. I couldn’t bring peace to my thoughts.

In an effort to stop overthinking, I picked up my Bible. I was studying Christianity and reading the Bible from the beginning to support my girlfriend in her beliefs. Compromise is an important part of any relationship, and I saw this as a good place to meet halfway.

Still, I struggled with the subject matter. But this time, I noticed something different. As I read, my head became quiet and I felt happier. I sat, staring at the same page try- Cadet Andrew Flockhart ing to process this. Why is now a member of the Defenders of Justice should reading a book I (2022-2024) session didn’t believe make me with his wife, Sheryl feel happy? As an atheFlockhart. ist, I had no rational answer.

I grew up in a non-religious household. This never seemed odd to me. Never did I feel that anything was missing. I was blessed with a loving family, and while my sister and I didn’t always get everything we wanted, we never failed to have what we needed.

After visiting church with my mom as a teen, I concluded: “Religion is weird!” I don’t recall what I expected to find, but I know I wasn’t expecting it to feel so stiff and ritualistic. After a few weeks, I concluded that I wasn’t really missing out by not going to church. At an age where you start discovering who you are as an individual, I had firmly labeled myself “agnostic.”

As I grew older, I began to notice differences between my religious and non-religious friends. My non-religious peers were more accepting of those who were different. I remember my beliefs began to change after one particular conversation with a close friend. He was outspoken about his faith and we found ourselves in a theological debate. I expressed my concerns and reservations and he asked, “Well, what is it that you believe?” My honest answer, “I’m not really sure.”

This answer was met with a scoff of disbelief and the conversation ended. I could see his judgment. I was a fool that wasn’t worth his time. That conversation marked not only the end of our friendship, but the end of my agnosticism too. From then on, I would label myself an “atheist.”

At the airport that day, a memory popped into my head. In my youth, I had once attended a lecture by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. At the end of the lecture, someone asked him: “What do you think it would be like to meet an alien?”

His answer was interesting. He said, we tend to imagine such an event as a meeting of equals. They would teach us some things and in turn learn from us—an exchange of ideas and cultures. He asked us to consider the difference between a man and a chimp’s brain as relatively minor, but what are the effects of that difference? From that difference stem advanced societies, skyscrapers, highways, art, music, the space program.

We can teach gorillas sign language and communicate with them and probably learn from that experience– But is it a conversation among equals?

What then would a conversation with an alien be like? They would have to be more intelligent to reach us. Why then do we think it would be a conversation on our terms?

FINDING GOD PAGE 12

Providing meals to college students in need Longview, Washington, Salvation Army fights food insecurity at Lower Columbia College.

BY LOU BUHL

In 2021, Longview Temple Corps provided over 20,000 hot meals to those in its Washington community, according to the corps' annual stats. In 2022, the corps extended its meal outreach services to provide free meals for local community college students at Lower Columbia College (LCC).

“It's one of the things that the public depends on and places high value on,” said Corps Officer Major Phil Smith of the meals.

Smith said the community college meal outreach began on “an experimental basis,” but now has plans to expand. Each week, 25 to 30 locally made meals are delivered to the college for students experiencing food insecurity and homelessness.

“It's not a solution, but it is the beginning of steps forward,” Smith said.

“Our goal is to be able to increase the number of students who are accessing these meals,” said LCC Director of Workforce and Career Services Dani Trimble. “As more students take classes in person and spend more time on campus, we anticipate that need will grow.”

According to The Hope Center’s Washington State #RealCollege Survey published in February 2020, 41 percent of student respondents were food insecure in the 30 days prior to the survey—with its more than 13,000 respondents consisting of students from 28 technical and community colleges in Washington, including LCC. “And that was before COVID…We know that that number is higher now because the pandemic has disproportionately impacted a lot of students,” Trimble said.

While meals are available for purchase in Lower Columbia College’s student center, many students who face food insecurity and homelessness cannot afford them. |PHOTO COURTESY OF MAJOR PHIL SMITH

In her role, Trimble said she oversees all programs associated with helping students meet basic needs like food and housing, as well as programs that help connect students to public benefits.

Trimble said the college aims to provide a wraparound support model and holistic approach for students to ensure all basic needs are met, increasing the likelihood of program completion and graduation.

In 2020, Trimble said the college spent over a million dollars directly on student aid with funding stemming from federal relief and stimulus packages and state and college foundation funding. She added, by the end of 2023, the college will have spent at least six million dollars to cover students' basic needs.

MEALS PAGE 7

Evacuee turns volunteer to help EDS during New Mexico wildfires

BY VIVIAN LOPEZ

One day, Tin Kit Au-Yeung (Autinn), an international student from Hong Kong, was attending classes at United World College (UWC)-USA in Montezuma, New Mexico. The next, she was evacuating with her classmates from the largest wildfire in the state’s history.

The Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon fires started in April in the Santa Fe National Forest and were caused by prescribed burns. The two fires merged into one—burning through more than 335,000 acres. It was mostly contained as of July 6.

“Before the fire spread toward our area, we were reminded several times to pack a ‘go bag’ for the possibility of being evacuated,” Au-Yeung said. “On Friday, April 29, we were asked to leave our campus by 5 p.m. to New Mexico Highlands University for evacuation.”

Due to limited capacity, the UWC-USA students relocated to Glorieta Adventure Camps in Glorieta, New Mexico, for shelter.

From there, the school was able to continue teaching and conducting exams for the students while

Tin Kit Au-Yeung (l) boxes hygiene items along with other Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services volunteers in New Mexico. |PHOTO COURTESY AUTINN AU-YEUNG

the evacuation order was in place.

At the same time, The Salvation Army Southwest Division Emergency / Disaster Services (EDS) team was conducting the wildfire response out of the camp.

The organization handled donations management for San Miguel County before being approached by the State of New Mexico to take it on for the whole state. The Salvation Army had originally been operating out of a warehouse in Las Vegas, New Mexico, but had to evacu-

ate when the fires got close by.

And the camp is where AuYeung first encountered The Salvation Army. She and her classmates saw the work that Southwest EDS team members were doing to receive, sort, pack and distribute donations and wanted to help.

“They loved to come down for snacks between classes…but then they’d stay and they’d hang out and help us, and that’s how I met Autinn,” said Nicole Kanne, VOLUNTEER PAGE 10

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Family finds home twice with the help of The Salvation Army

5

BY HILLARY JACKSON

D

ina and Kori Flores live in an apartment on a quiet street in north-central Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood along with their dog, Odie. It’s all a stone’s throw away from restaurants, cafes and shops— qualities many would consider when choosing a location. But the biggest reason why it feels like home?

“Everybody is so nice around here,” Dina Flores said. “Everybody has a dog.”

And Odie is the first to greet guests at the door. Inside, the apartment oozes a warmth fit to counter the gloomy days often associated with the Pacific Northwest. Inspirational words and affirmations of love cover the walls. A letterboard says: “Smile more, worry less and remember how blessed you are.”

In many ways, the home feels like the ending— after living in a car, the Floreses found an apartment with the help of The Salvation Army’s Street Level program. When the first place didn’t work out, they knew who to call. Now in another apartment found with the help of the program, they have a safe place to call home that has allowed them to experience new beginnings.

The Floreses met in San Antonio, Texas, at Haven for Hope, which serves those experiencing homelessness. Prior to his transition, Kori Flores was experiencing homelessness and staying in the women’s shelter, and Dina Flores was in the rehab portion of the facility, working on recovering from addiction. They met, and connected. After a series of relapses, Dina believes Kori saved her.

“She couldn't stay sober,” Kori Flores said of Dina. “So I was like, 'Hey, come on, let's go.' She came [to Seattle], and since she came here, she was sober.”

Now, with three years of sobriety that she maintains through counseling and therapy, Dina Flores said she feels like she is making progress.

“I found somebody who loved me,” Dina Flores said, noting the years she spent in what she described as a toxic relationship with her then-husband. “I was very not who I am today, so I thank Kori for that…he really helped me see the beauty Tina Lewis, Kori and Dina Flores play with Odie in the Flores' Seattle home. |PHOTOS BY JOHN DOCTER in life.”

“The pandemic really took a toll on things,” she said.

“This time around, we're discussing, we’re like… ‘We’re The pair lived in Seattle prior to the coronavigoing to have to start looking for another apartment, rus pandemic in 2019, but then moved back to “It's really hard now because of the rental increases and we’ve got to pay the first month's rent, the deposit, the Texas once the pandemic hit. After living pay- a lot of people that we housed years ago are now coming back…because their rent has been raised up anysecurity deposit, cleaning fee—all that all over again,’” check-to-paycheck in Texas, the pair said they where from $300 to $500. And now they can't handle Dina Flores said. “So we're thinking about that, and he decided to move back to Seattle. it, so we're seeing some repeaters.” was like, ‘Babe, why don’t you call Tina?’”

They were getting on their feet and living in But the second time is a different kind of search, And she did. When Lewis answered, Dina Flores their car, sleeping in a church parking lot in Kent, Lewis said—this time, they have a security deposit. wasn’t sure if she would remember her, but she did, and Washington. They first learned about the Street “Then we try and find something that's more in our Lewis said she was actually about to reach out to her, Level program in a Buy Nothing group on Faceprice range, so the search is a little bit harder now,” too. She said she had the Flores’ file on her desk. Dina book. A team member from The Salvation Army Lewis said.

Flores explained their situation to Lewis, and they once who was in the group told them Street Level In Seattle, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartagain worked together to find a new apartment. could help them get into an apartment—especialment in June 2022 was $1,667, according to Apartment “It was just so funny how it came together again,” ly since they had jobs.

List—up more than 11 percent from the year prior.

Dina Flores said.

They got the team member’s number, met up In spite of the hardships, the Street Level team has But this time it’s different. In addition to the friendly with her, completed the paperwork and found an worked to house 100 people in the first six months neighborhood, there are many things the couple loves apartment in two weeks, Dina Flores said. of 2022, Lewis said. During this time, the team has about their home—the balcony, the washer and dryer, “They were very, very proactive,” said Street the dishwasher and the fireplace are all top contenders Level Program Manager Tina Lewis. “These two— expanded its personnel, and it has acquired a new building for case management that opened in Auwhen it comes to favorite features. they were on it as much as I was on it.”

Now, the pair have their sights set on the future.

Since the Street Level program began its op- gust 2022.

For the Flores family, rent wasn’t the reason they came Dina Flores plans to begin school in the fall to become erations in 2019, the team has helped more than a chemical dependency counselor, and Kori Flores has 400 people gain permanent housing—and 97 per- back. After moving into their apartment in October 2021—a third-floor unit in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighbegun studies to become a social worker. cent remain housed, according to Lewis.

“And now we just live everyday, like regular old peoNow, as the effects from the pandemic contin- borhood—they began to experience habitability issues. In April, following flooding in their unit, Kori Flores said they ple—drink our coffee, go to work or do schoolwork or ue, and U.S. inflation rates hit the highest they’ve discovered mold. After going through hassles with rental whatever,” Dina Flores said. “We make dinner and then been since 1981, Lewis is beginning to see some insurance and their landlord, it was time to move. we go to bed at 8:30-9 o'clock.” NFC familiar faces.

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NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

BINGO! |PHOTO BY JOHN DOCTER

The Santa Clarita Valley (California) Corps offers a weekly respite for community members experiencing homelessness.

Bingo brings joy to my clients. It's the fun of it.

The winning part—it's a joy.

—DIEP (ZIP) FRANCIS

BY KAREN GLEASON

Suspense mounted at The Salvation Army Santa Clarita Valley (California) Corps as numbers were announced: O-61, B-10, G-53. Someone was close to yelling “Bingo!”

Each Wednesday afternoon, the corps hosts this bingo game. It’s not a women’s ministry or a seniors’ group; instead, it includes men and women of various ages who are experiencing homelessness. A dozen or more people usually attend.

Manny won this round, receiving a $10 In-N-Out gift card. The prize for the next round was a Del Taco gift card.

The corps holds space for this weekly ministry, a love offering from community member Diep (Zip) Francis, who volunteers her time. “It’s a calling,” she said. “I have a heart for the underdog.”

Francis, who attends a local Catholic church, has been serving those experiencing homelessness for 12 years. A retired hair stylist, she also offers free haircuts at the corps once a month.

“I try to be a resource for [those experiencing homelessness],” she said.

“If they need anything—a blanket, a backpack—they call me.”

Not only does Francis show up each week with bingo supplies and prizes—

often fast-food gift cards—she also brings a homemade meal, which, for some, might be the only meal of the day.

“Today I brought spicy Thai food,” she said. “That hot meal means a lot to them.”

David Moore knows the importance of a hot meal firsthand. Once homeless, he received help from The Salvation Army and is now employed and an active Salvation Army adherent.

“When you’re homeless, it’s a fulltime job just getting a meal,” he said.

Moore takes credit for connecting Francis with The Salvation Army—he introduced her to then-Santa Clarita Valley Officer In-Charge Envoy Laura Ann-Bloom Moore, who told Francis she was welcome to bring her ministry to the corps.

“I’d been searching for a place where I could bring my services to,” Francis said. She’d been holding bingo at the local metro station, where many people experiencing homelessness congregate.

Francis engages the bingo participants in various ways. Whoever wins a game gets to choose the bingo pattern for the next game. “This time we’re doing b-i-n-g-o in a z-pattern,” she said.

“It takes longer this way…Bingo brings joy to my clients. It’s the fun of it. The winning part—it’s a joy.”

Spencer, a participant, agreed that winning is the best part of the game.

“I’m pretty lucky. I inherited that from my mother,” he said.

As Francis engages group members, the bingo game metamorphosizes into a ministry. “She spends a lot of time talking to them,” Bloom Moore said.

“She witnesses to them.”

On this Wednesday, she thanked those who had prayed for a friend of hers, Tina, and gave an update on her situation. Later she shared a job opening she knew of for a handyman.

The bingo group’s afternoon meeting came after a typically busy morning at the Santa Clarita Valley Corps, which distributes food to those in need four days a week—Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Today, we served 31 families already, and it’s only 12:30,” said volunteer Dorenda Smith, adding that the corps averages about 1,000 clients every month. Volunteers keep the food distribution going. “We have five here now; and we had five more here this morning,” Smith said. Volunteers in-

clude community members and young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Additionally, several volunteers are clients who want to give back in gratitude for the help they received.

“These are the people who do the work—the volunteers,” Bloom Moore said.

The Salvation Army and its partners are committed to providing a hand up, not just a hand-out. They do what they can.

“And that is enough,” Francis said.

“I've come to realize that I cannot change the person; no matter what I do or say, it has to be coming from themselves. But as long as I can, I can provide love and affection and friendship.”

She said she believes God intended to bring her together with The Salvation Army to better meet the needs of the homeless community. “[Bloom Moore] had the resources [the space] I needed and now people know they can come to get some food, clothing whatever they may need. If they have it, she gives it to them.”

Both look to the future, to a time when the corps might offer a soup kitchen.

“It’s a great partnership,” Bloom Moore said. “We're on the same mission. We serve Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and we want to reach the people. And the most important thing is they know that the Lord loves them, and that there's people that he uses to show that he loves and cares about them.” NFC

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center beneficiaries reap not only the physical benefits while gardening, but also the spiritual benefits.

BY LOU BUHL

The Cottonwood Women’s Residence at The Salvation Army Denver Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) sits on several acres of land in Arvada, Colorado, where those fighting substance abuse can find help through a six-month, no fee drug and alcohol residential program.

“We’re blessed out here, I mean just blessed…It's a beautiful piece of property,” said Denver ARC Resident Manager and Intake Coordinator Julie Wirtz.

In 2012, Wirtz graduated from the ARC program and started working at the center a year later. “I've always felt like this connection to Cottonwood…It saved my life and I wanted to help others do the same,” she said.

Soon after taking on the role of resident manager at the center, Wirtz said she had the idea to build a community garden for program beneficiaries. After gaining approval from her supervisors, Wirtz said she “started digging” and the garden began to take form in 2013.

“For me, it's really relaxing and very calming,” Wirtz said. “It doesn't really matter what kind of day you're having, you can go out there and all of a sudden you're nurturing and seeing all of this creation grow.”

In addition to the mental and physical benefits research shows gardening can provide, Wirtz said there are also spiritual benefits that can be associated with gardening. “What I like to say is, ‘when you're tending the earth, you're mending the spirit,’” Wirtz said.

Denver ARC graduate Samantha McCrea said when she felt overwhelmed while she was in the program, she’d go outside to the gardens.

“It was my safe place,” she said. “It really made it feel like a home at Cottonwood.”

For McCrea, the garden also served as a place for her to spend time with God. “I’d pray and I’d meditate…I would talk out loud to God and that’s really where I met God,” she said.

MEALS

FROM PAGE 4

“It just shows that there is an extraordinary need that our students are experiencing,” she said.

In addition to helping facilitate the meal outreach partnership with The Salvation Army, Trimble said she also accepted the position as a Longview Temple Corps advisory board member.

Currently, the board consists of 10 members, seven of whom, like Trimble, joined in 2022. “My approach to board development is to find partners in the community that are like-minded in mission,” Smith said.

Smith said the advisory board is composed of community leaders who are working toward addressing issues of hunger and homelessness.

“Homelessness has a lot of different

7

Gardening helps those recovering from addiction in Colorado

|PHOTOS COURTESY JULIE WIRTZ

“When you're in your addiction, it's such a dark place and you just want to hide and you forget how beautiful life is,” McCrea said. “It was really a beautiful place to get sober.”

During her time at the ARC, McCrea worked in the kitchen helping to cook the daily meals for other beneficiaries. “I loved the fact that we grew herbs and vegetables,” she said, mentioning she enjoyed getting to use fresh basil in various dishes.

McCrea said she developed her love for cooking at the ARC, which led to her enrolling in The Salvation Army’s culinary arts program at Hope Harbor in Lodi, California, following her graduation from the program.

To see one’s planting and tending efforts materialize in fruits and vegetables ready to harvest, Wirtz said is “really beneficial” to the women in the program.

“Not only is gardening benefiting you, it's benefiting the earth,” McCrea said. “Not to mention, it's always good to get outside and get some vitamin D and a little bit of a workout, right?”

McCrea said she still remembers the day when Wirtz taught her how to garden and had her try a fresh radish when she thought she didn’t like them.

“Julie was really amazing. She never gives up on anybody and she is one of the best house man-

root causes so, it takes a lot of different solutions…Not one solution is going to be the thing that will help solve this crisis,” Trimble said. “If our community wants to engage in how we serve people who are experiencing homelessness, we need to be working together and really looking at how can everyone be contributing.”

Trimble said she saw joining the advisory board as an opportunity to align resources and see how board members can “all come to the table to better the community.”

While Salvation Army meals are currently offered to students in to-go boxes, Trimble said there are plans to “engage with students in person more,” as COVID-19 restrictions lighten.

“The intention is to bring those meals into more of a community space, so that students would be able to eat with

agers I could have ever asked for,” McCrea added.

Gilburt Croker graduated from the Denver ARC in 2010. Since graduating, Croker said he stays involved with The Salvation Army through attending local chapel services and Celebrate Recovery meetings.

“The Salvation Army basically saved my life,” Croker said. “It's still my program—that's my sobriety, I think, and it's important to keep nourishing that.”

He’s returned to the ARC to help with various projects, including building two crosses and gardening boxes for the Cottonwood Women’s Residence.

“Instead of being so self-serving, like I was before I started in the program, I've become more of a servant to others,” Croker said.

As the garden continues, Wirtz said she hopes to add a chicken coop to provide fresh eggs for beneficiaries. Wirtz said there are also plans to build an alumni garden to honor and provide a space for those who have been through the program to return and build community to strengthen their recoveries.

A decade from now, Wirtz said she hopes to see the garden “still going strong,” adding, “I hope people will continue to take care of it and take care of themselves while they're doing it.”NFC

one another,” Trimble said. “We want it to be focused on resources, but we also want to make it fun.”

By creating an informal dining area near the campus’ food pantry, Trimble said students can build community with one another and staff can learn more about the students’ needs.

Another way, Trimble said the college is partnering with The Salvation Army is through referrals of resources. For example, Trimble said she was able to refer a student experiencing homelessness to The Salvation Army Hope House, a transitional housing program with a facility operated by the Longview Corps.

“We were able to actually get [that student] into the transitional housing at The Salvation Army with the goal of partnering with the case manager there to work on a long term housing solution,” Trimble said.

Trimble said she also hopes to “reduce the stigma” associated with asking for help or seeking services.

“Particularly college students will say, ‘I need help, but there must be a student who needs more help than I do, right?’ Like, ‘I'm not going to ask for too much, or I'm not going to ask for what I need.’”

Trimble said with the help of the college’s student government, there are plans to include activities at mealtimes so “people can get to know each other in more of an organic way” and help reduce that stigma.

“We try to build a relationship that leads to more of a relational ministry versus just a direct service program,” said Smith. “We want it to feel like more of a community space than just a place to come stand in line and pick up a meal.” NFC

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NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

LIFE

How The Salvation Army Turlock Corps brought its garden

L

BY KAREN GLEASON PHOTOS BY JOHN DOCTER

ately, anyone looking for Captain Katie Breazeale at the Turlock (California) Corps is unlikely to find her in the office. Instead, she’s probably outside, tending the corps’ garden, which has come alive since she and her husband, Captain Jeff Breazeale, came to Turlock to lead the local Salvation Army.

They arrived in July 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 shutdown. Unable to get as involved in their new community as they would like, they looked for what they could do and found a project waiting in the corps’ backyard—a dormant garden with potential.

“There were weeds and sunflowers six feet tall just overtaking the entire garden,” Breazeale said. “We slowly started getting stuff done and had volunteers who came in and helped clean it up.”

Breazeale said while she’s unsure about many of the details involved in the origin of the garden, a donation from Raley’s supermarket got it started. Recently the corps received seed donations from Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County, along with donations from other interested community members.

“Master Gardeners are a group of people who go out into the community,” said Heidi Aufermaur, a Stanislaus County Master Gardener who worked with the corps’ after-school club children each week. “We volunteer our time and we share information about gardening.”

During the school year, Breazeale enlisted help from the after-school club kids.

“The kids were excited when we started,” she said. “When they began to see the fruits of their labor, some of them

It’s not about what we do, but what God does out here with all this. It’s inspired me.

—CAPTAIN KATIE BREAZEALE

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

9

Master Gardeners are a group of people who go out into the community. We volunteer our time and we share information about gardening.

—HEIDI AUFERMAUR

really liked it.” Several claimed their own individual garden plots, identifying them with homemade signs.

Once a week Aufermaur, a retired teacher, came to the corps, teaching the children, aged 5–12, the basics of gardening. They compiled a weed identification booklet so they would know what plants to leave in the garden and what had to go, along with which ones to watch out for when weeding, like stinging nettle.

“Then we found a bunch of bugs,” Aufermaur said.

“So I brought in my bug collection. We talked about insects and bug parts.”

“My favorite things are the bugs,” 5-year-old Olivia Breazeale said. Katie Breazeale confirmed that Olivia—her youngest daughter—spends most of her time in the garden looking for new bugs.

The garden contains a variety of vegetables, fruit trees, succulents, herbs and flowers. The fresh food nourishes seniors residing at the adjacent Silvercrest Residence, as well as the after-school kids and their families. Some of it also goes into the corps’ food pantry, helping feed the wider community. One of the children takes produce home for her rabbit.

“I’m trying to see what grows the best, so we know to plant it again,” Breazeale said. “It’s a lot: corn, tomatoes, squash, green beans, carrots, radishes, broccoli, watermelon and all the herbs.”

It’s no surprise the garden is doing so well. Known as the heart of California’s Central Valley, Turlock has a long agricultural history that continues today.

Aufermaur noted the area has a Mediterranean climate. She’s encouraged Breazeale to plant a winter garden with hardy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.

With the school year ending, Aufermaur was in the garden one last time, at least for this season. Before the kids left the garden, they gathered around their Master Gardener for a special cheer—”one, two, three, garden rock!”

“We’re learning—like by planting the flowers and the lavender, the bees will come and pollinate,” Breazeale said. “And we have fruit trees, including a peach tree and a plum hybrid, and an avocado tree.”

The large succulents include aloe, which can soothe minor skin irritations.

Breazeale said the Silvercrest residents love the

produce from the garden. Many of the seniors come to the corps Monday through Friday for a lunch provided by United Samaritans. They can come early for a pre-lunch bingo game, when Breazeale shares fresh food from the garden.

“This makes a beautiful salad,” Shirley Sarnowsky said, as she took a large head of lettuce. “That’s what I’m making tonight.”

Meanwhile Ruby Rodriguez popped cherry tomatoes into her mouth as she played bingo. “My daughter wonders why I never come home with a full bag,” she said.

Back in the garden, Breazeale headed to the corn.

It’s growing well, and she’s excited about it. She’s been giving it special attention.

“I’ve been hand pollinating,” she said, demonstrating by snapping off a few tassels from the stalks and using them like feather dusters over the emerging ears of corn. “It will be amazing. In the next month, you’ll see all the corn.”

She confessed that in the past she never had any luck with plants. Now she’s found a new passion, with potential for future growth.

“The kids want to be more involved,” Breazeale said. “We can make things with the food—salsa, spaghetti sauce. We literally have salad stuff…It’s all about the kids.”

She emphasized the deeper significance of the garden.

“It’s not about what we do, but what God does out here with all this,” she said. “It’s inspired me.” NFC

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NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

TUTORING

FROM PAGE 3

her love of the arts was particularly meaningful. Noticing that arts education had been greatly impacted

by COVID and an ongoing lack of funding, she took it upon herself to create a special “Art Help on the Go” curriculum that helps kids access creative art projects and materials remotely.

“I believe that a better future can be created through expression, creativity and art,” she said. “I have since continued to spread my love for the arts.”

In doing so, Yeon noticed her own confidence in herself as a mentor and educator blossoming.

“One gift I received from this organization has been the ability to see myself grow with my students,” she added. “It wasn’t about me teaching them about the arts, but it was also about me learning from them about patience, confidence, self-esteem.”

As the tutoring program took off, the teen founders felt the need to do more in the local community. They noticed their senior neighbors at The Salvation Army

VOLUNTEER FROM PAGE 4

Salvation Army Southwest EDS Director. “[When] we had donations coming in, she would help organize and sort and she had one of our vests on and she was helping [people] pick out things they needed.”

Au-Yeung looked forward to helping out and volunteered the entire month that she and her classmates were at the camp shelter.

“Amidst our exam season, going into the donation center and volunteering was one of the most [de-stressing] activities I could find,” Au-Yeung said.

“Every afternoon after classes were over…I would drop by the donation center and see if there were any newly delivered bags ready for categorization.”

She’d been wanting to volunteer in the community while she was in school, and got the opportunity to do so with The Salvation Army.

SERVICE EXTENSION

Silvercrest Residences had also become isolated as the pandemic took hold.

“They wanted to do good things and not just sit around at home,” Julia Jung said. “It grew from tutoring to a larger service to the community.”

Lee, who plays the cello, organized an orchestra with 85 members and performed a classical music outdoor concert in the parking lot of the senior home. They also raised $1000 for goodie bags, coffee and cookies for the 120 residents as part of the event.

As they saw the opportunity to engage their tutoring students in further service, they worked together to make toiletry bags and fundraised $3,850 to provide a barbecue lunch for The Salvation Army Bell Shelter’s 250 veteran residents as well.

As their outreach grew, they noticed something special happening: students were referring their friends and families to the program, and as a result, more and more of them started showing up for church services on Sundays at the corps. "It's a beautiful thing," Julia Jung said. "We can intro-

“Since our arrival at Glorieta, I always wanted to give back to the displaced community through volunteering…

Some people have lost their homes… and some people live in uncertainty not knowing if their shelters are still standing,” Au-Yeung said. “The only tangible and impactful thing that was within my power was to simply help in the kitchen with cooking and in the donation center sorting out donated items.”

And the volunteer experience was rewarding for Au-Yeung.

“I was able to meet many amazing people…Talking to them, listening to their personal stories and sharing our daily updates with one another was always the most interesting part of my day. I would never have thought of building all these wonderful friendships with so many beautiful souls,” she said. “Seeing the rising number of packages delivered to the donation center, I felt the genuine love and support people have for the commu-

FROM PAGE 1

what the Lord has coming down the line for the next thing, but he’ll lead us there.”

And while Kreps points to God’s guiding hand in each of the volunteer efforts she’s organized, leaders in The Salvation Army Southwest Division—covering Arizona, New Mexico and Southern Nevada—also recognize that they wouldn’t be able to help the people of Benson if it weren’t for Kreps herself.

Kreps is one of the 45,618 volunteers in the Southwest Division who have served since October 2021— many of them in service extensions, smaller volunteer-run Salvation Army units that provide social services. Service extension units make it possible for The Salvation Army to reach communities it otherwise wouldn’t be able to serve.

“These volunteers and the service extension program are a way The Salvation Army can serve every zip code in America,” said Colonel Olin Hogan, the Service Extension Director for the Southwest Division. “They are good-hearted people who are willing to help The Salvation Army raise money in their communities that is then spent to help their communities.”

These volunteers are critical. Cities like Benson, Buckeye and Sedona, Arizona, wouldn’t be served if it weren’t for people willing to volunteer their time to lead a service extension unit.

That’s why one of the first actions Hogan took when starting his role in October was to establish a recognition program to acknowledge and honor their work.

“I looked at these people who have served years,

duce our Christianity through them [the tutors]."

For Lee, the experience has reaffirmed her faith. “I made deeper bonds with the members of my church, especially [Corps Officer] Major Joyce, and the kids within it,” she said. “I realized that it was a true blessing to be granted an opportunity to teach students so dedicated and caring—that it must be part of God’s plan for me and my fellow peers within Help On the Go.” Lee and Yeon said they have big dreams for the program going forward. They hosted an educational summer camp this year for grades 1-5 camp with weekly field trips on Fridays, and already had more than 40 volunteers assigned to assist.

Currently, they are fundraising to give financial help to children who are survivors of domestic violence and children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

They invite students from all over the world who are in need of academic or visual arts help to come and join as they look to expand the program nationally and eventually, globally. NFC

nity—a community that I am proud to call home.”

A moment Au-Yeung remembers clearly was when she was unboxing Amazon packages that had arrived at the donation center.

“While I was unboxing, there was an “A Gift for You” memo in one of the packages. ‘[New Mexico] is the place my heart feels most at ease. I’m sorry I cannot give more,’ this person wrote.

The message warmed my heart,” she said. “With the largest wildfire raging on an unprecedented scale, I could still witness and feel the kindness and love people have for one another.”

Once the Glorieta camp shelter closed, The Salvation Army returned to the Las Vegas warehouse to continue its work until the job was done.

Southwest EDS recently demobilized after 53 days in the field and now the focus is on recovery.

Throughout its efforts, The Salvation Army served approximately 58,000 people. It distributed more

decades, without pay and without anyone saying, ‘Hey, this is just magnificent,’” Hogan said. “They don’t even care about the recognition, but for The Salvation Army, we had to be honest and say, “You are doing something significant in this community, and we want to thank you for that.’”

The Service Extension Recognition of Service program puts a structure in place to thank these individuals. Honors range from a letter of appreciation in the first year of service to a plaque awarded at a public meeting in year 10 and sharing a meal with the divisional commander, friends and family in year 20.

Out of all the volunteers, one is selected each year to receive the Doing the Most Good award, which recognizes a hardworking, compassionate person who has given exemplary service. In May, Kreps became the first person to receive the award in the Southwest Division.

“It takes your breath away,” Kreps said of the honor.

“It was wonderful, and I felt very special— almost like I didn’t deserve all that.”

But Kreps and each of the volunteers who are honored are more than deserving, Hogan said. Without them, countless people would go without food, school supplies, clothing and myriad other services the units provide.

“They raise money, they raise volunteers, they provide assistance to people who are hungry or need assistance to get to doctors,” Hogan said. “They do 100 different things, but all of them are making a difference in their communities.”

On average, Hogan estimates the volunteers dedicate 15 to 20 percent of their time each month to running the programs.

In Buckeye, Arizona, volunteer Phil Yabes has spent 11 years raising money locally to help eligi-

than 9,500 cases of water, 40,000 hygiene items, 53,000 food boxes and 37,000 baby items, among other items.

And they received the support of others along the way. In addition to Au-Yeung and the rest of the UWCUSA student volunteers, they also had the help of the New Mexico National Guard and other fellow New Mexicans.

“It was really uplifting to see people in need also helping their neighbors,” Kanne said.

Kanne hopes that The Salvation Army left a lasting impact in the weeks they were in New Mexico.

“New Mexico is a vast state, and we have corps throughout the state— they’re just far apart,” Kanne said, noting that for some, the response was probably their first encounter with The Salvation Army. “We’re just trying to help the community when it’s at its lowest…I really hope that we’ve made an impression on the communities in Northern New Mexico.” NFC

ble residents with their utility and water payments, along with other assistance programs.

“The need has always been there,” Yabes said. “The resources have never been up to the needs. There’s always more we could be doing.” Without Yabes, those vital programs might no longer exist. And while Yabes is adamant that he doesn’t do it for the recognition—“It’s just something that needs to be done and that I can help with”—Hogan and the Army know how significant his efforts, and the efforts of all volunteers, are.

“I firmly believe we need to be saying ‘thank you’ to one and other and that we need to be celebrating good work,” Hogan said. “We want the community to know, as well, that these people are making meaningful contributions.”

Hogan is hopeful that this sort of public recognition—the awards often lead to writeups in the local papers and events in the community—will inspire others to take up their own volunteer efforts. Ideally, friends and neighbors are encouraged to find ways to care for their community, too, just like the individuals who are recognized.

The honor can also help renew and inspire longtime volunteers, Hogan said.

“We hope this will help us with longevity, too,” Hogan said. “It’s a way for people to see, ‘They do appreciate us. I’m not out here alone. We’re doing this together.’”

But at the end of the day, it’s the spirit and compassion within each volunteer that keeps the service units going.

“I appreciate the Colonel recognizing me for the service, I really do,” Yabes said. “I’m very thankful and very grateful. But even if he didn’t, I would still be serving.” NFC

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

UTILITIES

FROM PAGE 1

a lot—and so as we give it out, it goes quickly,” Trimmer said.

Trimmer is hopeful that the program will help people in Reno get back on their feet.

“We can help them get through life and their emergency situation so…it will provide them more stability in the future,” Trimmer said. “We hope to give people…that extra hand up so they can move toward self-sufficiency and better their lives.”

The Salvation Army in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is also offering much-needed help with utility bills.

“Because of the inflation and because of our local housing market, everything has gone up. We’re trying our best [to help] in multiple different fashions,” said Colorado Springs Corps Officer Captain Doug Hanson. “With utility assistance, it’s just another practical way to help people who are in need. We’re just really looking and exploring what is the need out there. Right now, it’s financial assistance in many different forms.”

Hanson said they’ve regularly seen clients come

FOSTER CARE FROM PAGE 3

Global Coach and Liaison for anyone in The Salvation Army who might want to replicate and integrate this movement in their locations.

It became clear that Brave-specific events can feel big or overwhelming to some depending on location and resources, so another idea was born: the Global Strategic Plan for Foster Care Engagement. The plan aims for The Salvation Army to proactively transform our world by reaching out to foster kids and kinship care providers (biological family members who are raising kids in their extended family).

This is the Global Strategic Plan for Foster Care Engagement: First, identify what resources your location already has available to children and families in need: back-toschool supplies, clothing programs, after-school care, day camps, Vacation Bible School, food pantries or support with food instability, clothing drives or thrift stores, community meals, summer camp at reduced costs, spiritual

CAMPGROUND

in with residential utility bills as high as $3,000$5,000—accrued from many months of service.

“We have been shocked,” Hanson said.

This year, the Colorado Springs Corps actually ramped up its utility assistance efforts in January.

The program originally received $280,000 in annual funding solely from Project COPE (Community Option to Provide Energy) through the local utility company. But after two years of a continuous, increasing need for utility assistance, the corps also requested and received additional money for the program through Energy of Colorado (EOC).

“In the past, when we would run out of COPE money, it wasn’t that pressing,” Hanson said. “Last year, we saw the floodgates of people wanting to come in [for help].”

The additional EOC funding allowed the corps to hire another staff member to help process utility assistance applications.

“Just with COPE, [we] were maxed out in staffing just processing the applications,” Hanson said, noting the time it takes to process each application.

Between the two funding sources, Hanson said

support, family events, musical instruction, social service help with rental assistance, transportation to and from events, character building programs— these are things that we are already doing as The Salvation Army.

Some corps and community centers are doing more, and some are doing less, but we are all doing things that make a difference and could potentially help families stay together and keep children safe, healthy and whole.

Then, after we identify a list of things that our community can do to support foster and kinship care providers, we would deliberately and systematically interact with those in the child welfare system to help them to understand how we can best support their needs. As a movement, we are great at doing the good things, but we are not as great at letting the right people know that we are doing the good things.

Some examples of offices or programs we would go to in an attempt to build these bridges and relationships would be the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), Child Protective Services, Youth Probation and Juvenile Detention, and the Office of the

FROM PAGE 1

expected to camp was low, there was initially no structure in place for managing services. Local groups began to get involved, but there was no clear point person or group, according to Alaska Divisional Secretary Captain Kevin Pope. When the municipality approached The Salvation Army to help, Alaska Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Douglas Tollerud said, “Yes.” On July 20, The Salvation Army began assisting with food coordination and managing client services with the goal to assist people who want to continue to camp with what they need as well as those who want a change. As time progressed, the Army also took on handling the processing of inkind donations at the campground as well.

While several safety-related incidents caused many agencies to be concerned for their safety at the campground, The Salvation Army continued to serve, which Pope said prompted others to do the same.

Pope is serving as the Incident Commander, a role traditionally assigned in a Salvation Army response to natural disasters as well as humanitarian crises. Because the response was unplanned and in a remote site, Pope said the EDS Incident Command System

The Salvation Army in Colorado Springs has already seen a nearly 50 percent increase in the amount of utility assistance distributed in 2022. And the corps is on track to provide over $400,000 in utility bill payment help this year—compared to its usual $280,000.

In turn, the average payment the corps can make on behalf of clients has gone up—with a maximum of up to $1,750 annually, in rare cases. The Salvation Army in Colorado Springs is projected to help 500 families with utility assistance this year. And many of the clients are seeking utility assistance for the first time.

“When you hit financial ruin, it hits every area of your life,” Hanson said, noting the availability of the corps’ rental assistance program in addition to its robust utility assistance program. “The more areas The Salvation Army can help a client out, the more likely we are to keep people in their homes.”

And Hanson said they are happy to offer that helping hand to those who need it.

“We’re glad to be here,” Hanson said. “We want to serve the community.” NFC

Mayor and city managers. We would also research and reach out to local nonprofits who work adjacent to the foster care system.

We would go to people in local governments and nonprofits who are actively engaged in this work. For this plan to come to fruition, we would need to do things differently. We must leave our buildings. We must get out from behind our desks and enter their spaces with our uniforms on, our lists of possible support in one hand and a box of doughnuts in the other.

The folks who work in this world are overworked and underpaid. If we, as strangers, just send an email or make a phone call, we will be ignored.

We must be a physical presence in their lives. This is where the connection happens. I know it may seem over-simplified, but I have seen great success with coming through the door with an open heart, a list of available programs and a box of doughnuts. I have experienced this strategy work in my life and ministry.

Third, we will set a schedule for regular connection and interaction with our various points of contact. Twice a

has been implemented to help manage the situation.

Additionally, Pope said the division brought up Salvation Army California South EDS Director Nick Nguyen to develop a strategic plan, due to his experience with serving those experiencing homelessness in the greater Los Angeles area.

While The Salvation Army has helped to provide needed services at the campground, leaders are quick to emphasize it’s a team approach. The Municipality of Anchorage Parks and Recreation Department oversees the physical campground, and The Salvation Army is coordinating with other agencies to provide services.

“We're out there every day,” Pope said. “Our biggest challenge is going through the campground and seeing who's still there, who's not there, who moved in—getting them registered and finding out what services they need.”

The efforts have resulted in individuals and families achieving permanent housing. The Salvation Army first worked to get shelter to families sleeping in tents when it established its presence at the campground.

“Thirty-two people, including four families, were transitioned into McKinnell House and [Catholic Social Services] Clare House Family Shelters, and other permanent housing yesterday. As of 5 p.m.

11

year we will go to their offices, bring another box of doughnuts and remind them of what we have available. We will connect our contacts with our youth leaders, social workers and those on the front lines who would be primarily involved with impacting this change.

Once a relationship has been created between The Salvation Army and those in the foster care system, those frontline folks would regularly send information and invitations to programs, services and support networks as the calendar progresses.

If we as an Army do this small step that is feasible for every officer regardless of location or resources, I firmly believe that we will change our country in a mighty way—and in a way that costs us nothing more than a box of doughnuts and an afternoon of our time.

I daydream about walking into heaven one day 100 years from now, and Jesus introducing me to all the people who were foster kids—and because of this strategic effort, The Salvation Army became the origin of their salvation story, too. Let’s link arms and do this together. The kingdom and our world will never be the same. NFC

last night there were no more children at the camp,“ said Tollerud in a statement July 22.

One of the families that came to the McKinnell House, which provides emergency housing to families experiencing homelessness, was already able to move out because the father got a new job and secured housing, Delgado said.

Additionally, Delgado said they’ve had reunifications through helping to send individuals back to their families. They’ve also assisted a couple who was stranded, and helped another man get home to the village in St. Paul Island.

“It's been a good thing,” Pope said. “A lot of people are getting helped, and people are coming out to the campground because they know they're going to find services there.”

The question of “what’s next?” remains, as tent camping will not be possible as colder weather approaches—Anchorage’s average lows hover around 15 degrees Farenheit in the winter months. Pope said The Salvation Army is providing support to the Municipality as they develop a cold weather shelter plan.

“We're not under contract. We're not getting paid for this,” Delgado said. “We are literally living out the mission of The Salvation Army, and that's meeting human needs in his name without discrimination.” NFC

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PROMOTED TO GLORY

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

CAPTAIN RACHEL GOTRICH NOV. 4, 1925 – JULY 2, 2022 Captain Rachel Gotrich was promoted to Glory July 2 from Hudson, Florida.

Rachel “Lillan” Kristina Ljungholm was born Nov. 4, 1925, in Amal, Sweden, to Salvation Army officer parents, Brigadiers Otto and Gerda Ljungholm, the third of their four children. She graduated from high school in 1941.

In 1950, Rachel was commissioned from The Salvation Army officer training school in Stockholm, Sweden, and then held several appointments in Sweden at various corps and at the training school and Territorial Headquarters. She also served as secretary to the editor-in-chief of the Swedish War Cry, Stridesropet. She attended the International College for Officers in London in 1963.

During her last corps appointment in Sweden, she began corresponding with Captain Bertil Gotrich, a recently widowed officer serving in the USA Western Territory as an evangelist. They had known each other when Gotrich was a young officer, as he traveled extensively in Sweden. In 1970, Rachel transferred to the Western Territory. She and Gotrich wed in 1971 and

FINDING GOD FROM PAGE 4

As I recalled this answer, I found myself asking, “What would it be like to meet God?” Even as a non-believer, I could see clearly that if God existed and created all things, he would not be just a little more intelligent than us. He would be infinitely more intelligent.

In my youthful ignorance I would hurl challenges at God: “If you’re there God, make yourself known.” When I didn’t hear an answer, I took that as proof of his nonexistence. But why did I think that communication would happen on my terms? Why wouldn’t it be just like what I found myself experiencing at that airport? A subtle, yet significant change in the way I felt.

As I contemplated this seemingly random memory from my past, the sudden onset of peace and happiness in my mind, I found that I did believe that God had just reached out and touched my thoughts. The end result was happiness that quickly turned into a flood of emotions and joy. I called my girlfriend to relay what happened, fighting back tears as I sat in that crowded airport.

Tears that only a moment earlier I would have struggled to explain.

After 37 years of not believing, one day God was there. It turned my world upside down—or right side up.

So what was life like as a new believ-

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served together in two appointments: the Los Angeles Harbor Light and the Portland (Oregon) Harbor Light.

The couple retired in 1980 and settled in Hudson, Florida. They attended the Pasco County/Port Richey Corps, where Rachel sang in the Songster brigade. After Bertil Gotrich was promoted to Glory in 2003, Rachel continued to live in their Hudson home until 2018, when she moved to an assisted living residence.

A memorial service took place Aug. 9 at the Waynesville (North Carolina) Salvation Army with her nephew, Captain Lars-Otto Ljungholm officiating.

CAPTAIN RON McKINNEY Aug. 1, 1945—June 29, 2022 Captain Ron McKinney was unexpectedly promoted to Glory June 29 from his home in San Jose, California.

He had been serving post-retirement as the San Jose Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) Business Administrator.

Ronald Francis McKinney was born Aug. 1, 1945. As a child, he attended Catholic schools. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and a Master of Business Administration with a specialty in Nonprofit Management.

er? In a word, confusing. In the beginning, I struggled with my identity. After so long as a non-believer, who was I as a person of faith? Who did I want to be? All my role models in life had been either people without faith or people I looked up to despite faith. There was no one in my life who could model that good Christian man. In short, I didn’t yet know enough about Jesus to look to him in those moments.

My relationship with the Word, on the other hand, grew very quickly. I devoured the gospels and Paul’s letters in the New Testament. My struggles with the Bible were mostly gone. Before I found everything to be confusing, and now I found a wealth of interesting information about the world. Everything was different. I couldn’t rely on my prior knowledge to justify what I thought about anything. Everything needed to be reevaluated against the newfound knowledge of a world created with purpose and intent.

My girlfriend, while thrilled with the fact that I found God, was also a little overwhelmed with the prospect of having to be my main source of answers about God and Christianity. She introduced me to her aunt who is a retired officer in The Salvation Army. At that time, we didn’t attend The Salvation Army church. I knew absolutely nothing about it, but I couldn’t have asked for a better person to speak with.

Her aunt was kind and well-spoken.

After high school, McKinney joined the Marines, serving as a combat engineer, drill sergeant and Marine recruiter. He also taught at the FBI Academy. He completed two tours of duty in Vietnam and received two Purple Hearts and the Silver Star. In 1985, he met his future wife, Roberta. They attended the Renton (Washington) Corps and wed Dec. 26, 1987.

The couple felt called to full-time ministry in The Salvation Army. They became envoys, serving in many appointments in the Western Territory, including the San Jose Corps; the San Francisco Central Corps (now the San Francisco All Nations Corps), which they began; Gateway Transitional Program for Women and Children in San Francisco; Redwood City (California) Corps; Northern California Divisional Headquarters; Denver Red Shield and as Denver County Coordinators. In post-retirement service they were appointed to the Hawaii ARC, Las Vegas ARC and San Jose ARC. McKinney was promoted to Glory while continuing to answer his call to ministry and living out his life verse: But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isa. 40:31).

McKinney is survived by his wife, Roberta. His memorial service took place July 17 at the San Jose ARC. NFC

The love she had for Jesus was apparent in her words and actions. What struck me most was that she had a way of challenging my thoughts with kindness. I remember her posing this question to me: “If you want a healthy mind, you read books and study. If you want a healthy body you go to the gym and exercise. What do you do to take care of your soul?”

I couldn’t answer her. When I was an atheist, I didn’t give a lot of thought to the soul. Looking back on my life, I couldn’t help but think about my battles with depression and the struggles I had to justify the source and cause.

Could it be that I simply hadn’t had anything in my life to uplift my soul?

As my faith grew, my girlfriend and I started to struggle with the churches we were attending. While the sermons were good, we didn’t feel any sense of community. My girlfriend, who had grown up in The Salvation Army, felt it was time to go back.

I was pleasantly surprised. The people were friendly. The Captains made us feel welcome. The church was also diverse—so different from my youthful experiences of non-acceptance of those who were different. We couldn’t have been happier with the experience.

We had found our home.

My girlfriend pushed me to start attending Bible Study to help with my endless questions. I’ll never forget my first experience there. In my mind, I imagined others would look at me and know I was new to faith. I feared they would label me a phony and tell me I didn’t belong. I knew these fears were irrational, but that didn’t stop them from running through my mind. When I walked into the room, I found I was the first to arrive outside of the corps captain leading the session. To this day, I don’t think he knows what an impact his simple kindness and small talk had in easing my mind.

That first session, I don’t think I said a word. Instead, I listened and absorbed.

There were people in the session who I’m sure didn’t have the same opportunities I had. But I saw and heard people who were able to speak from the heart so passionately and eloquently in a way I could not. It was an incredibly moving and eye-opening experience.

It would take me a while to learn to be careful how I compared myself to

others—everyone has their own, personal faith journey to walk. But on that day, I realized that I was a child in this new world and had a lot to learn.

Since then, I feel I’ve grown a lot.

Each day, I get a little bit closer to God. That our relationship grows a little stronger. Things that were very difficult are starting to get easier. Praying was something I really had to work at.

While I’m sure everyone has their own struggles with prayer, it took me a long time to learn to speak to God from my heart. Hearing God also took practice.

I’m blown away by how often I feel God speaking to me, whether by revelation in reading his Word, or by conviction or correction. I still find myself getting very emotional when I feel God working in my life.

There are still things I struggle with.

There are many times I have felt humbled before God. Submitting to God, I find challenging. After so many years of self-reliance, I find it hard to give things up to God. Letting go of the pride I take in my own achievements will take time.

I also struggle with my non-religious family. The person they raised and the person I have become are fundamentally different. It can leave me unsure how to act to ensure I don’t backslide into old habits when around them. As my faith grows, I find myself slowly changing. I understand better than ever the analogy of being reborn. The Bible calls for me to put off my old self (Ephesians 4:22) and to put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator (Colossians 3:10).

I thank God for continuing to pursue me in the face of my ignorance and skepticism. I’m grateful for his love and the gift of faith he saw fit to bestow on me. I’m thankful to him for giving me a wonderful partner who teaches me more about love every day.

I’m thankful to him for bringing me to a wonderful church family I’m honored to be a part of.

I pray that I didn’t hurt anyone in my ignorance or cause anyone to stumble in their faith. I would ask the forgiveness of those I judged and whom I met with unkind words. I pray that God gives me the strength and the opportunity to help others who are struggling to find their way to him. NFC

AROUND THE WEST

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

13

ALASKA

Church group makes improvements to Haines Corps A group from East Brook ECO Presbyterian Church in New Castle, Pennsylvania, came as missionaries and volunteers to the Haines Corps in July as part of a larger effort to help the Haines community. At the corps, the group helped remodel the fellowship and chapel rooms, including new flooring and carpet for the chapel in addition to painting throughout the facility.

Captains Kevin and Serina Woods are the Haines Corps Officers.

CALIFORNIA SOUTH

Divisional name change Since the inauguration of the California South Division four years ago, discussion regarding the division’s name has been ongoing. Driving this discussion was how to better communicate with the division’s external stakeholders, including the media and donors. Salvation Army leadership felt it was necessary to be consistent with the commonly used name for the geographical area: Southern California. ​​​​​​​This discussion led to a formal proposal to International Headquarters (IHQ) to change the name of the California South Division to the Southern California Division. IHQ approved, and the name change to Southern California Division will take effect Oct. 1.

Lt. Colonels John and Lani Chamness are the California South divisional leaders.

CASCADE

Kroc Center offers ‘Next Steps’ for teens The Salem (Oregon) Kroc Center held a free life-skills program in August for teens: Next Steps. The intensive four-week program, which aimed to develop foundational skills for life after high school, included resume building, financial literacy, and job and leadership skills. At its completion, students had earned an Oregon food handlers card and CPR certification.

Captains Deanna and Quinton Markham are Salem Kroc Center Corps Officers.

DEL ORO

last day of camp. “We loved seeing the children’s potential and seeing them grow over such a short amount of time,” said Corps Officer Captain Aeran Oh. “Our goal is to allow the children to try new things and hopefully open an interest within them that they can explore in adulthood or within their career.”

HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDS

laundry services and shower facilities. Through fundraising efforts, the corps aims to expand these services, increasing the ability to provide for more people.

“We have found the people to be both very loving and very appreciative,” said Corps Officer Major Julie Feist. “Our big focus is on increasing capacity of our hygiene center.”

SOUTHWEST

Benson Service Extension partners for back-to-school event

Reconciliation and recovery at the Kaneohe Corps Since the easing of COVID restrictions in Hawaii, the Kaneohe Corps has had men return from the island’s rehabilitation programs. “One of the most beautiful things we have seen out of this is that their families have been coming as well,” said Corps Officer Lt. John RodriguezMercer, noting about three families have started attending. “These are families who never thought they'd be reunited, but because of the Holy Spirit in their recovery, we are seeing reconciliation between spouses and children.”

Rodriguez-Mercer said some of the new attendees are seeking to become soldiers, and they will be starting the Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) graduates' soldiership classes soon.

INTERMOUNTAIN

The Benson (Arizona) Service Extension Unit partnered with other charitable organizations to provide back to school supplies, as well as New Testament Bibles, to over 200 people who attended the Back-to-School Fair at the Benson Middle/High School.

The Benson Walmart gathered donations of back-to-school items from their customers and Benson volunteers, led by Service Extension Unit Chairman Dottie Kreps, distributed at the fair. St. Vincent de Paul and the Assembly of God church offered colored pencils and crayons, among other items. Most attendees took advantage of the New Testaments offered by the Gideons.

ARCC

Ride for Recovery in Santa Monica The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) in Santa Monica, California, launched its first Ride for Recovery fundraiser Aug. 31 to support those struggling with homelessness and substance dependence.

The fundraiser will run through the month of September, Recovery Awareness Month, and include a live event along the Santa Monica Bike Path and opportunities to participate virtually.

Those involved are also encouraged to log 155 miles of biking throughout the month in remembrance of the 155 people who lose their lives to Fentanyl overdoses each day.

Captains Tanya and Timothy Pemberton are Santa Monica ARC administrators.

CFOT

Petaluma CARe SHOW for KIDS The Petaluma (California) Corps held its 10th annual CARe SHOW for KIDS, raising $4,500 toward school supplies for community children.

The event featured 80 classic cars, live music, a tool raffle and a barbecue, as well as People’s Choice Awards; trophies were awarded in 14 different categories. Sponsors included Friedman’s Home Improvement, Gulik’s Auto Body, Boulevard Automotive, Lombardi’s Deli and Quality Printing Services.

Major Laura Wycoff is the Petaluma Corps Officer.

GOLDEN STATE

Sunnyvale Corps holds ‘Joyful Learning Academy’ The Salvation Army Sunnyvale Corps held a “Joyful Learning Academy,” six-week STEM learning camp where 120 children ages 6–14 were mentored by high school and college students in science, math, English, coding, music/performing arts and Spanish.

Throughout the six weeks, the volunteers helped campers create projects to present on the

Vail Valley hosts 13th annual Empty Bowls fundraiser The Salvation Army Vail Valley service unit (Colorado) hosted an Empty Bowls soup kitchen lunch fundraiser Aug. 5 at Battle Mountain High School. Tickets were $25 and included soup, bread and a dessert from local restaurants as well as a hand-made bowl to take home. The event also included a silent auction with items donated by local businesses. All proceeds went to support The Salvation Army Vail Valley Food Pantry.

Tsu Wolin-Brown is the Service Center Coordinator for Colorado.

NORTHWEST

‘Getting back to our roots’ in Kalispell The Salvation Army Kalispell (Montana) Corps is turning its focus to William Booth’s initial vision to provide “Soup, Soap, Salvation” to those in need. Five days a week, the corps offers free meal distributions (breakfast and lunch),

Defenders of Justice arrive The 13 members of the Defenders of Justice Session of cadets arrived at the Crestmont Campus Aug. 11 to begin almost two years of training to become Salvation Army officers. They represent several Western Territory divisions: California South, Del Oro, Intermountain, Northwest and Southwest.

The public Welcome of Cadets is Sept. 10 at the Tustin Ranch (California) Corps and also features the welcome of Colonels Eddie and Genevera Vincent, the Western Territory’s new Chief Secretary and Secretary for Women’s Ministries, respectively. Major Nigel Cross is Training Principal. NFC

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AROUND THE WORLD

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

UNITED KINGDOM

Uniform exchange helps people and environment Fourteen-year-old Bertie Grills, a junior soldier at Mirfield Salvation Army in West Yorkshire, England, has encouraged students to donate their old school uniforms to reduce landfill waste and provide clothing for families struggling due to the rising cost of living.

Working with his school and The Salvation Army, he arranged to have donation boxes placed in several locations around town.

The Salvation Army then distributes the donated uniforms, partnering with local charity Uniform Exchange. In its first few months, the endeavor has provided 28 families—37 children—with school uniforms.

“I wanted to take part because it’s right that everyone should have access to the correct uniform whether they can afford it or not,” Bertie said. NFC

Ukraine response continues The Salvation Army continues to respond to people’s needs as a result of the conflict in Ukraine. In Georgia, a children's club meets every Friday, offering activities for Ukrainian young people affected by the crisis. Forty-five children and their families participated in the club, and more were expected to attend a summer camp.

Recreational craft activities for domestic refugees have been organized in Kropyvnytskyi and Vinnytsia, Ukraine, also with the aim of helping people cope with trauma and stress.

The Salvation Army International Headquarters continues to mobilize emergency services teams that provide food and other essential supplies to key Ukrainian cities including Lviv, Kyiv and Kharkiv. NFC

The Salvation Army hosts a children's club for Ukrainian youth in Tblisi, Georgia. |PHOTO COURTESY INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

CANADA

NEW ZEALAND

Thrift stores eliminate plastic checkout bags To celebrate “International Plastic Bag Free Day,” The Salvation Army in Canada permanently eliminated plastic checkout bags at thrift stores beginning July 3. Instead, shoppers were encouraged to bring their own reusable bags or consider buying a reusable, Salvation Army “Refresh, Recycle, Restyle” bag for $1.99.

“We are proud to be taking initiative and leading the way in our role as environmental stewards,” said Ted Troughton, Managing Director of The Salvation Army Thrift Stores National Recycling Operations in Canada. “We look forward to continue making thrifting even greener alongside our guests and donors.” NFC

Transitional housing neighborhood debuts General Brian Peddle congratulates Jeremy Lalrinnunga on his win. |PHOTO COURTESY INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Salvationist wins gold at Commonwealth Games Salvationist Jeremy Lalrinnunga, 19, of Mizoram, in the India Eastern Territory, won gold July 31 at the Birmingham (England) 2022 Commonwealth Games in the men’s 67 kilogram category—almost 150 pounds—weightlifting final, breaking two Games records.

General Brian Peddle, joined by Commissioner Suresh Pawar (International Secretary for South Asia) and Captain Charles Chalrimawia, shared a video call with the young champion to celebrate.

"Jeremy, I have prayed and thanked God for you," General Peddle said. "Any-

body who pursues excellence does, in a very beautiful way, honor God. God is making you to be somebody who pursues excellence in your weightlifting and as a good soldier of Jesus. We are honored to see you and greet you today and we pray God will continue to bless you.”

Receiving the General’s congratulations, Lalrinnunga made it clear to whom the glory belongs: “This is not my power—this is the power of Jesus Christ.” Upon returning home to India, Lalrinnunga will commence training at the Neeraj Chopra Institute of Sports for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. NFC

A new neighborhood consisting of 18 four-bedroom houses opened for struggling families in Auckland, New Zealand. By providing wraparound services, The Salvation Army aims to meet each family's needs and provide referrals to external providers when necessary.

"It's about supporting those families and referring them to appropriate services,” said on-site social worker Sue Iripa. "It’s also working alongside them and looking to changing some bad habits. Our program is about stability, it's about routine."

This new neighborhood is one of three of The Salvation Army’s transitional housing options in New Zealand, consisting of 130 homes. NFC

WORLD SERVICES

From the front lines in Lithuania Officer shares efforts to help refugees.

BY SID SALCIDO, CAPTAIN

Captains Sid and Reyna Salcido are Western Territory officers currently serving in their fourth year as missionaries and corps planters in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The Salvation Army is called to help those in very unfortunate situations, and with the war in Ukraine, many families have been displaced from their homes and forced to become refugees. Over 10,000 refugees have come from Ukraine to Vilnius, Lithuania (to go along with another 4,000 from Belarus due to their own difficult situations with their government), and my wife and I have been able to be on the front lines to help them as they come in.

Many other nonprofits have come together to help, and we were able to be a part of these meetings to discuss how we all could be a help to the refugees. Much of the help from other nonprofits happens within about a week’s time, so we at the Vilnius Salvation Army moved to be an immediate help when refugees first arrived on the scene.

This was necessary since many of the families who have come (mostly women and children, due to

|PHOTO COURTESY SID SALCIDO

the fact that men are asked to stay and fight with the army in Ukraine) were not able to bring necessities with them since they had to leave Ukraine very quickly. So, the Vilnius Salvation Army has provided not only immediate food in the way of a grocery gift card, but towels, hygiene units, pillows, blankets, sheets and other things refugees will need when they first come.

We have also had the privilege to start six free

English language classes of about 10 students each (mostly Ukrainian, but some Belarusian), which we teach throughout the week. I teach four adult classes, and my wife, Captain Reyna Salcido, teaches two children’s classes. At the moment we are also recruiting some volunteer English teachers for two more classes, because nearly 100 Ukrainian and Belarusian refugees have signed up.

This has been one of the things that has been most appreciated here in Vilnius by the refugees.

An article in one of the Belarusian news sources states that the refugees are so grateful for the classes; they worded our relationship with them as “sincere friends.”

This certainly has been a confirmation for us being here, since we were asked to stay a couple of more years in Vilnius. It has been somewhat a challenging time for us here to find the trust among the Lithuanian community to start new programs. Trust must be gained, but to be able to start the programs and gain the trust has been a struggle because opportunities have been rejected by some groups.

But, after we had made the decision to stay from what we felt was God’s approval and desire, the war with Ukraine broke out about six months later, and we saw the need for The Salvation Army here in Vilnius more than ever. So today I say, as Mordecai said to Esther so many years ago, that our decision to stay was “for such a time as this.” NFC

KNOW YOUR ARMY

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

ACRONYMS

CRACKING THE CODE

The language of The Salvation Army

ADHS

Adult Day Health Services

NW

Northwest Division

ACS

Assistant Chief Secretary

O&R

Orders & Regulations—International policy

Like many groups that have been

AK

Alaska Division

P&P

Policies & Procedures—Territorial policy

in existence for a long time, The

ARC

Adult Rehabilitation Center

OF

Order of the Founder

ARCC

Adult Rehabilitation Center Command

P to G

Promoted to Glory

ARP

Adult Rehabilitation Program

POH

Pathway of Hope

ATS

Addiction Treatment Services

PTM

Protecting the Mission

BM

Bandmaster

RevHi

Revolution Hawaii

CS

Cascade Division

SAWSO Salvation Army World Service Organization

USA Western Territory, here

CAS

California South Division*

SC

Silvercrest

is a non-exhaustive list of

CC

Commissioners’ Conference

SCL

Singing Company Leader

CCM

Community Care Ministries

SL

Songster Leader

CFC

Command Finance Council

SW

Southwest Division

CO

Corps Officer

TEAM

Teach Equip Affirm Multiply

CFOT

College for Officer Training

TAC

Territorial Administrative Council

CRD

Community Relations and Development

TALC

Territorial Administrative Leaders Conference

CSM

Corps Sergeant-Major

TC

Territorial Commander

DC

Divisional Commander

TEC

Territorial Executive Council

DHQ

Divisional Headquarters

TFC

Territorial Finance Council

DO

Del Oro Division

THQ

Territorial Headquarters

DSB

Divisional Secretary for Business

TMS

Territorial Music Secretary

DSP

Divisional Secretary for Program

TOAC

Territorial Officers Advisory Commission

DYS

Divisional Youth Secretary

TOI

Territorial Officers’ Institute

EDS

Emergency Disaster Services

TPC

Territorial Program Council

FIS

Family Intervention Services

TPWO

Territorial President for Women’s Organization

FTS

Family Treatment Services

TSA

The Salvation Army

GS

Golden State Division

TSB

Territorial Secretary for Business

IHQ

International Headquarters

TSP

Territorial Secretary for Program

IM

Intermountain Division

TPWM

Territorial President for Women’s Ministries

IS

International Secretary

TSWM

Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries

HI

Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division

TVAT

Territorial Vision Action Team

NAB

National Advisory Board

TYS

Territorial Youth Secretary

NAOC

National Advisory Organizations Conference

WMI

Western Music Institute

NHQ

National Headquarters

WYI

Western Youth Institute

NSE

National Seminar on Evangelism

Salvation Army has developed its own code. Often confusing to those unfamiliar with them, these abbreviations exist for ease of communication.

With special attention to abbreviations used in the

Salvation Army acronyms.

15

*As of October 1, the California South Division (CAS) will be the Southern California Division (SC).

SEE MORE about the impact of The Salvation Army and how you can

help Fight for Good today at caringmagazine.org.

16

NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Vice President Academic and Vice President Academic andDean Dean

Booth University College is a growing undergraduate Christian institution built on 30 years of excellence, offering range ofCollege academic Centrally located Winnipeg, Manitoba, Booth University College Booth aUniversity is a programs. growing undergraduate Christianininstitution built on 30 years of excellence, reflects The Salvation Army’s deep involvement in service to the community and is committed to “Education for offering a range of academic programs. Centrally located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Booth University Cola Better World”. “Vision 2020: The Road to Booth University” (www.boothuc.ca/pdf/2020 Strategic Plan.pdf) lege reflects The Salvation Army’s deep involvement in service to the community and is committed to was launched in 2014. Building on the strengths of our academic programs, exceptional faculty and staff, a clear “Education for a Better World”. “Vision 2020: The Road to Booth University” (www.boothuc.ca/pdf/2020 strategy for the future and a growing student body, the successful candidate for this position will provide Strategic Plan.pdf) was launched 2014.

Building on theand strengths of our academic programs, essential leadership during a timeinof planned change growth, in partnership with theexceptional President and as a faculty of and a clear strategy member thestaff, leadership team. for the future and a growing student body, the successful candidate for this position will provide essential leadership during a time of planned change and growth, in partnership

thePresident PresidentAcademic and as a member of the leadership team.

Thewith Vice and Dean is the Chief Academic Officer and is a senior member of the leadership team. The Vice President Academic and Dean works together with the President and the University College The Vice President Academic and Dean is the Chief Academic Officer and is a senior member of the Cabinet to implement the strategic goals of Booth University College. The Vice President Academic and Dean leadership The Vice the President Academic and Dean togetherInwith President and the Unileads, directsteam. and manages academic programs of theworks institution. thisthe role, the incumbent must be able versitystrategically, College Cabinet to implement the strategic goals of Booth University College. The Vice President to work tactically and operationally.

Academic and Dean leads, directs and manages the academic programs of the institution. In this role, the

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Interested candidates areto invited to view the tactically full job posting which includes details on the position incumbent must be able work strategically, and operationally. responsibilities, and other additional information at https://boothuc.ca/about/employment-opportunities/ Interested candidates are invited to view the full job posting which includes details on the position re-

Missed Meals Lost Focus Sleepless Nights Low Energy Your gift of $25 a month provides warm meals, sack lunches, and food pantries for local families in need.

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sponsibilities, and other additional information at https://boothuc.ca/about/employment-opportunities/ Qualifications and Skills • PhD degree Qualifications and Skills • At least 7 years of senior or executive leadership experience; • PhD degree • Fully supportive of the integration of faith and learning in a Christian university-level setting and a • At least 7 years of senior or executive leadership experience; commitment to the Mission of Booth University College • Fully supportive of the integration of faith and learning in a Christian university-level setting and a • Ability to integrate your Christian faith within the workplace commitment to the Mission of Booth University College •• Ability Proventoleader andyour manage withfaith the within abilitythe to manage complex and sensitive situations; integrate Christian workplace •• Proven Demonstrated ability to develop maintain networks andand partnerships to facilitate goal leader and manage with theand ability to manage complex sensitive situations; accomplishment; • Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain networks and partnerships to facilitate goal • accomplishment; Working knowledge of the evangelical church in Canada, including The Salvation Army;

•• Working Satisfactory criminalofrecord check; church in Canada, including The Salvation Army; knowledge the evangelical •• Satisfactory Ability to docriminal minimum travel in Canada; record check; • Ability to do minimum travel in Canada;

Anticipated starting date for the position is October 30, 2022.

Anticipated starting date for the position is October 30, 2022.

Application materials should include: cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of faith and how your faith Application materials should include: cover letter, curriculum vitae, statement of faith and how your faith commitment would contribute to fulfilling the mission of Booth UC, names and contact information for three commitment would contribute to fulfilling the mission of Booth UC, names and contact information for three references and may be submitted in confidence to the Human Resources Generalist; Booth University College by references and may be submitted in confidence to the Human Resources Generalist; Booth University email: BoothUC.Careers@boothuc.ca. Applications will be reviewed as received until the position is filled.

College by email: BoothUC.Careers@boothuc.ca. Applications will be reviewed as received until the position is filled.

Booth University College BOOTH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE 447 Webb Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 2P2 447 Webb Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 2P2 Visit www.boothuc.ca for information on our other current employment opportunities Visit www.boothuc.ca for information on our other current employment opportunities

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National professional development conference for officers and staff working in Community Relations & Development, Social Services, and Emergency Disaster Services.

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