Street Level is one of The Salvation Army’s newest initiatives to help those dealing with homelessness. The program began operating in 2019, building off the work of Major Phil Smith, who began the outreach by walking the street with a carafe of coffee in a backpack. The team has now helped more than 400 people gain permanent housing and since its inception—97 percent remain housed.

As the team travels the streets of the community, they approach neighbors living in their cars to find out what next step in their journey it will take to finding housing.

The answers vary. Sometimes it’s something like getting a car key replaced that would allow someone to work again, other times it’s getting an ID.

But during the Street Level outreach days, the team works to engage those living in vehicles by meeting immediate needs through items like snacks and hygiene kits and identifying next steps. They’ve found that while resources exist, it’s often the process of obtaining them that’s filled with barriers. Street Level addresses this head-on.

Northwest Divisional Commander, Lt. Colonel Cindy Foley stated,

“We’re going to people who are never going to find us…And then we walk with them on that journey until they’re successfully housed.”

Learn more at disaster.salvationarmyusa.org