TELLING THE SALVATION ARMY STORY FOR 40 YEARS • 1983–2023
NEWS FROM THE SALVATION ARMY USA WEST • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 • VOL. 41, NO. 6
Maui volunteers share ministry of presence Volunteers devoted to emotional and spiritual care (ESC) serve following devastating fires.
|PHOTO COURTESY HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDS DIVISION
Since the devastating West Maui wildfires that leveled the historic town of Lahaina and burned much of the Central Maui town of Kula in August, The Salvation Army has been on the ground providing aid to thousands of residents displaced by the blaze, with the efforts led by trained Salvation Army officers and staff largely supported by volunteers on the frontlines of service. “Everyone in the community has been touched by this tragedy and wants to help, but they need to be introduced to the right area of need,” said Territorial Director of Emergency/Disaster Services (EDS) Volunteers and Training Stacy Dertien, who served as Maui Incident Command Volunteer Coordinator and Finance and Administration Deputy. “It's pow-
erful for The Salvation Army because we can be the link that facilitates the connection between the people that want to help and the people that need the help.” Perhaps the most impactful volunteer opportunity is providing Emotional and Spiritual Care (ESC) for survivors, Dertien said—when volunteers offer a listening ear to help them navigate logistical issues as well as prayer and words of comfort, holding space for their grief. “That's really the major need,” she said, adding that The Salvation Army has been looking for local volunteers with high emotional intelligence who are comfortable with supporting those in crisis in the coming months. The ESC team is comprised of a variety of caring community members, and includes trained hospice volunteers, survivors of other past fires, family members of Salvation MAUI PAGE 10
Caring Magazine wins First in Class Caring Magazine received the Evangelical Press Association’s 2023 Best In Class First Place prize, recognizing Captain Denice Delgado, Anchorage Social Services Director, at a veterans outreach event
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|PHOTO BY NATALIE CLENDENIN
A grand opening Oct. 12, emceed by journalist Lisa Guerrero with a keynote from actress Rebecca King-Crews, brought representatives from The Salvation Army, City of Pasadena, Los Angeles County Development Authority, FHLB Affordable Housing Program and private donors including Diane and John Mullin to cut the ribbon on The Salvation Army Diane and John Mullin Hope Center in Pasadena, California. |PHOTO BY JOHN DOCTER
Salvation Army Hope Center opens in Pasadena with 65 apartments
30840 Hawthorne Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
The Salvation Army
BY CHRISTIN THIEME
For more than a year, Suzanne lived in her car—the result of extensive medical bills from breast cancer and then a stroke that left her without a place to call home—but now she is one of the newest residents of The Salvation Army Diane and John Mullin Hope Center in Pasadena, California. “This is where I’m supposed to be,” Suzanne said. INSIDE
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THE QUIET HEART OF CHRISTMAS General’s Christmas Message
The four-story facility next door to the Pasadena Tabernacle, led by Corps Officers Majors Paula and Roy Wild, features 65 fully-furnished studio apartments along with a state-of-the-art client choice food pantry and associated supportive services plus a gym, yoga room and library for 65 formerly unhoused area residents. A grand opening Oct. 12,
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A HUG OF ENCOURAGEMENT Handmade quilts spark joy
emceed by journalist Lisa Guerrero with a keynote from actress Rebecca King-Crews, brought representatives from The Salvation Army, City of Pasadena, Los Angeles County Development Authority, FHLB Affordable Housing Program and private donors to cut the ribbon on the Hope Center. “This is about people,” said
Alaska Division helps stranded seasonal workers get home The Salvation Army’s travel assistance fund supports those in need with transportation. BY KAREN GLEASON
Every year, an influx of seasonal workers descends upon Alaska for jobs in fishing or tourism. For many, these jobs in “The Last Frontier” are a dream come true; for others, the dream becomes a nightmare when they lose their job and their housing. TRAVEL PAGE 10
HOPE CENTER PAGE 10
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CARING FOR CENTENARIANS Army provides loving home
See more about the impact of The Salvation Army and how you can help Do Good today at
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ARMY MISSION SHINES BRIGHTEST Bellringers in popular culture
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