Duluth Salvation Army in choppy water (video)
The Duluth Salvation Army is in choppy water due to key funding cuts and the aftermath of a Christmas fundraising campaign that fell slightly short. To right the ship, community support totaling at least $75,000 is needed.
At this point, cutting programs is not an option. Too many people could be affected.
“One in six Duluth residents rely on us for food, clothing, housing and other assistance,” affirmed Major Bill Cox (pictured above), Duluth Salvation Army administrator, adding that the charity last year provided at least one service to about 15,000 of Duluth’s 85,000 residents.
Instead of cutting programs, the Duluth Salvation Army has chosen to operate understaffed: A new social services director will not be hired to replace the former director following his recent departure.
“Our current staff members are absorbing this loss by taking on additional responsibilities,” Cox said. “We will sacrifice ourselves before we sacrifice the people we serve.”
Duluth resident Bob Moore (pictured) is thankful that program cuts are off the table. He is one of about 100 people who rely on the Duluth Salvation Army’s hot lunch program, served every weekday. He is homeless and sleeps in a trailer.
“All these people need this,” said Moore, 81, while eating sloppy joes with dozens of others in the Duluth Salvation Army cafeteria. “The Salvation Army is doing good.”
Lifeline
The Duluth Salvation Army is a lifeline for thousands trying to get their lives on track.
“The types of people who come in don’t like the position they’re in – they’re trying to make the best of what they have,” said longtime Duluth Salvation Army board member Jim Ransom, a retired steel salesman of 38 years. “The Salvation Army fills needs in Duluth. Honest needs.”
Those needs are many. Chief among them are food and housing. In addition to hot meal and food shelf programs that together provide over 122,000 meals per year, the Duluth Salvation Army’s three housing programs serve dozens of families.
The Catherine Booth Residence (pictured), for example, is a four-unit transitional housing facility for families recovering from addiction. Each family can stay up to two years while receiving subsidized rent, onsite case management and other personalized support.
“Some people come here and take sobriety seriously, while others you have to take them by the hand and lead them on,” said case manager Diane Olson, who lives inside the facility. “Parenting is an issue a lot of times. The 3- and 4-year-olds suffer the most.”
Most residents leave the program headed for success. Two years ago, for example, a young woman entered the program fresh out of drug treatment, having lost her daughter to child protective services. She recently graduated from the program enrolled in college, with a new apartment, and her daughter at her side.
The Duluth Salvation Army offers a bevy of other critical services: medical food shelf, transportation assistance, hotel vouchers for disaster survivors, clothing vouchers, youth programs (including Rookie Basketball), spiritual outreach, and much more.
“Satisfying these needs helps keep this town running healthy,” Ransom said.
New partners needed
Just like many of the people it serves, the Duluth Salvation Army is humbled to have to ask for additional help. But it’s a request that must be made.
“With so many Duluth residents in need, we can’t let our passion for helping people drive us into financial jeopardy,” Cox said.
He would love for more local businesses to begin supporting the Duluth Salvation Army’s mission.
“We are looking for financial partners who can come alongside us in this fight against hunger and homelessness,” Cox said. “The good news is if you invest with The Salvation Army, you are guaranteed to get a return on your investment – changed lives.”
Cox knows plenty about investments and numbers. He’s a former accountant. “Financial statements are like art to me,” he quipped.
In addition to donations from businesses, gifts from individuals are also sought because they are just as important.
“Every donation helps, no matter how large or small,” Cox said.
Volunteering helps, too. Those who help the Duluth Salvation Army serve meals, distribute groceries, sort donations and perform other activities ultimately allow the charity to spend more money on helping people. Lately, a nagging volunteer shortage has taken employees away from their jobs to perform duties normally reserved for volunteers.
The Salvation Army has been serving Duluth since 1892. Although the charity is currently being stretched, optimism remains high.
“After 123 years of changing lives, we’re not going anywhere,” Cox said. “With a little help from our friends, we can turn this ship around.”
Video