Natural Disasters andThe Salvation Army
If you think The Salvation Army is only about ringing bells at
Christmas, think again. While their primary income is indeed
produced during the Yuletide Season, their work goes on 365 days
a year. Founded in London, England in 1865, today it is an
international non-profit Christian organization proving social
services to deserving recipients. Natural Disasters
Many people don't even know the programs exist; or they have a
very misconstrued opinion about what they believe to be the
purpose of the Salvation Army. Their outreach programs are
administered by their "Booth Family Services." Regional centers
dot the map in the US and work tirelessly to help the less
fortunate.
According to the United Way, "Booth Family Services provides a
range of social service programs to respond to emergency crisis
situations as well as longer term care and support. Some of
their offerings include: food pantries, limited utility and rent
assistance, assistance for single females and families who are
homeless or in need of shelter, women and children residential
programs for those who need short term or temporary housing,
Pregnant/Parenting teen services, Prenatal and Family Health
Clinic for low income women and children in the community."
The Salvation Army is also recognized as a legitimate charitable
organization by the Better Business Bureau, which does not award
that recognition without a thorough investigation of an
organization. The BBB reports that The Salvation Army meets all
of their criteria.
Booth Family Services are especially noteworthy when it comes to
pregnant teenage girls age 13 - 17. In addition to providing
counseling services for these young women, some of their centers
also provide inpatient and resident care. As if that weren't
enough, many centers offer high school classes, day-care
facilities and vocational guidance, all designed with the future
productivity of the young women.
However, they don't stop there. Some centers work with drug and
alcohol addictions presenting in and outpatient treatment. They
also work with the homeless providing temporary shelter and
meals. One of the more recent causes taken up by The Salvation
Army is the issue of human trafficking. They provide
informative, educational information about how this insidious
practice works and what steps you can take if you suspect this
type activity is taking place in your area.
The Salvation Army also stands out as one of the quick response
organizations when Americans are faced with natural disasters
like tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires and floods. They
work side by side with other organizations like The Red Cross
ready to assist victims in finding food, shelter and the
resources for people who are left with nothing but the clothes
on their back.
Recent action taken by a major discount store, has had a
detrimental effect on their income. As mentioned above, the
primary source of income to The Salvation Army is gathered
during the Christmas holiday season. This particular store took
action to ban bell ringers at their locations. Somehow The
Salvation Army must recoup the loss of this revenue.