Hundreds of local residents visited The Salvation Army La Villita Corps this July for its annual back-to-school health and resource fair.

The Salvation Army and Aetna Better Health of Illinois started the back-to-school event last summer to help students and their families prepare for the start of the school year.

As students in Chicago prepare to return to the classroom, The Salvation Army wants to ensure they are as healthy as possible. The free community event featured numerous organizations and vendors offering resources, including blood pressure and cardiovascular health checks, to help community members get on track to a healthier self.

More than 20 partner agencies provided residents with health screenings, presentations, giveaways, prizes, and food trucks during the three-hour event.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Humanitarian Division has donated a new 35-Kilowatt generator and a forklift to The Salvation Army Guams Corps. The generator replaces an old generator that failed following Typhoon Mawar.

The forklift will support their ongoing food pantry and immediate recovery efforts across Guam in response to the increased needs of the community affected by the recent Typhoon.

With many in Guam worried about where their next meal will come from, The Salvation Army is extremely grateful for this generous support.

Victor Leonardi, Divisional Director of Emergency Services & Safety for The Salvation Army said, “During emergencies, the best way the public can help is to provide monetary donations which allows the delivery of the exact relief supplies a community needs. 

You can offer your support to The Salvation Army in Guam at

Guam.SalvationArmy.org

A heartwarming dedication ceremony marked the expansion and renovation of The Salvation Army Service Center in Bainbridge, Georgia.

The building renovation and expansion included remodeling and expansion of office space, 1,700 square feet of vitally needed warehouse space, and increased storage for the Family Store.

The desire for the expansion and renovation was prompted by the increased needs of the community after Hurricane Michael and COVID-19.

The mayor of Bainbridge, Mayor Reynolds, praised The Salvation Army for its valuable services and unwavering commitment to serve those in need for the past 30 years. Mayor Reynolds stated, “We can all look back to floods, tornadoes, and major, major events that affect our community, but to me, the most important thing is the thing they do every day, and they serve those individuals that are lost in our community as a beacon of hope.”

For more stories like these, visit https://salvationarmysoundcast.org/satoday

The nurses of the Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine have taken on a new monthly assignment: feeding the community with the help of The Salvation Army.

Kristie Clark, a case worker for The Salvation Army stated “These ICU nurses had been part of our Angel Tree Christmas program in the past,” “Six months after the Christmas season ended, the nurses all came back and asked, ‘What more can we do?’

What these nurses do goes far beyond volunteering. When they come, they’re not just serving a meal; they bring the recipes, provide all the necessary ingredients down to the spices, and prepare all the food themselves.

After a local TV station aired a story on the nurses and their work for The Salvation Army, the corps was blessed with new eyes on the Army’s mission. As a result, more people have asked how they could also volunteer.

In seeing so many health professionals pause their busy schedules to serve, Kristie says that it has made people realize that, if nurses can make time to volunteer, so can anyone.

Visit SALVATIONARMYUSA.ORG to learn about volunteer opportunities near you.

Café Connection happens every Wednesday. It’s a place where friends of The Salvation Army in Whitby, Ontario, have a chance to get together to enjoy meaningful conversation, connection, and a delicious cup of coffee.

The vision was to create a safe space where Majors Ken and Donette Percy, pastors, along with the church leadership team, could bring friends into the church, allowing them to temporarily set aside their daily challenges, connect and have a good time.

Café Connection allows church members to meet and support new friends, understand their needs, build healthy relationships, and offer hope to others.

Since it began, it’s evolved into a multipurpose space. While some choose to get a coffee, tea or a snack while socializing, others choose to engage in friendly games of pool, foosball, or arcade basketball. There is something for everyone at Café Connection.

Learn more at https://sawhitby.ca/

In Grady and Caddo Counties, in conjunction with Home Energy Aid Month – efforts are being made to raise additional utility assistance funds to help Oklahomans in need.

Salvation Army partners OG&E, ONG and PSO are also joining the effort by matching some funds. Throughout Oklahoma, The Salvation Army is working to help individuals and families every day.

Residents can help The Salvation Army and their energy partners with a financial contribution through Home Energy Aid Month this July. Last year, a little over $530,000 was provided in utility assistance to over 2,000 households and over 10,000 individuals throughout Oklahoma.

The number of persons requesting utility assistance continues to grow each year. It's difficult to imagine being without air conditioning in the Oklahoma summer or without heat in the winter when temperatures reach single digits.

If you would like to support The Salvation Army with utility assistance funds, learn more by calling 405-224-5647, extension 5.

The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services personnel from Keokuk, Iowa are working to support area residents affected by recent severe storms.

A straight-line wind storm swept across southern Iowa, northern Missouri, and western Illinois around midday on June 29th—knocking out power, downing trees, and damaging buildings in its path. Two Lee County, Iowa, communities, Keokuk and Montrose, were both affected by the storms.

Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services personnel from Keokuk sprang into action—assisting residents displaced from their homes.

They took meals to a shelter in nearby Montrose, feeding dozens of individuals there, and also provided bottled water at a shelter in Keokuk.

The Salvation Army’s teams are prepared to keep serving for as long as needed.

To lean more about The Salvation Army’s continued efforts, visit https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/

Each year, The Salvation Army enables thousands of kids from low-income families to enjoy fresh air, exercise, and new friendships through its annual summer camp programs.

The goal of The Salvation Army Summer Camp program is to provide every child the opportunity to have an exceptional and affordable summer learning experience. The camp staff and mentors have experience working with kids whose families are trapped in generational poverty and provide hope that their future can look different and brighter.

The camps aren’t just about fun, of which there is plenty, but also about helping kids fight summer learning loss and food insecurity–all in a safe, and nurturing environment.

You can give the gift of a summer experience by sponsoring a child. Reach out to your local Salvation Army to find opportunities to sponsor a child at summer camp.

Learn more at https://www.salvationarmyusa.org

To help battle the heat this summer, staff and volunteers of The Salvation Army in Brandon, Manitoba walk around downtown distributing cold water to the displaced or people experiencing homelessness.

Even though they already provide mobile feeding every Saturday, this is the first time the Brandon Corps is offering mobile water deliveries.

The water deliveries have come at the right time for those who need the support. Over the past few weeks, Manitoba has experienced a heat wave, with humidex values constantly hitting over 90 degrees.

With the official start of summer, the Brandon Corps has assembled a good team to handle the need. However, new volunteers are always welcome to assist in delivering more water.

https://salvationarmysoundcast.org/satoday

The Salvation Army disaster response teams have been working in Perryton, Texas, after a tornado caused significant damage and destruction on Thursday, June 15th. As service transitions from response to recovery, local Salvation Army volunteers are continuing service to storm survivors.

Working closely with partner relief agencies, The Salvation Army has been providing meals, drinks, and emotional and spiritual care throughout the devastated Texas Panhandle city. Since meal service began, The Salvation Army has served over 600 meals, drinks and prayed with or counseled more than 500 people.

ABC7 Amarillo have promoted a giving link to support The Salvation Army’s relief efforts in the community. In just three days, viewers have donated more than $14,000. To support The Salvation Army’s continued efforts, visit helpsalvationarmy.org.