Salvation Army of West Chester Unveils New Choice Pantry

The Salvation Army of West Chester unveiled its new Manna From Heaven food pantry at a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 19.

The event celebrated its status as a pilot pantry under the Chester County Food Bank’s Best Choice Initiative. The Salvation Army of West Chester has provided food assistance to those in need for more than 30 years and currently serves as many as 60 individuals and families each month. Rather than distribute food that’s already been bagged with various non-perishable items, the Manna From Heaven Pantry is now set up in a choice-format. It is comparable to a mini-market where clients use a shopping cart and select food, paper products and personal care items from the stocked shelves. Under the pilot program, the Chester County Food Bank is supplying healthier food options like fresh produce, low-sodium and whole grain selections.

Salvation Army of Reading Hosts Civic Breakfast to Honor Individuals Dedicated to Improving the Community

Reading, PA

The Salvation Army of Reading will honor Jack and Rosemary Gulati, with “The Spirit of Reading” award and Mark A. Hornberger, Senior Vice President, Commercial Banking Group, with The Salvation Army’s “OTHERS” award at its 7^th Annual Civic Breakfast on Tuesday, May 9 at the Crowne Plaza in Wyomissing. The event is an opportunity to recognize community partners and individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the betterment of Reading and Berks County. It is also a catalyst for fundraising that helps The Salvation Army of Reading meet the growing need in the community through its Family Services, Supportive Housing, Learning Center and Pathway of Hope programs. The Salvation Army aims to raise $150,000 at this year’s Civic Breakfast. All monies raised will support The Salvation Army of Reading’s Learning Center education program for local youth.

State College Corps: Enriching Our Children’s Lives

Back to School Shopping Assistance

As thousands of young people across Centre County will soon return to class, The Salvation Army of State College is there to lend a helping hand to families struggling to make ends meet.   It starts with back to school assistance and runs through the year with valuable programs to engage and enrich their children’s lives.

Christmas in July Fundraiser Planned to benefit Summer Camp Program for Chester Youth

The Salvation Army of Chester Seeking Community Support to Raise $10K+ during 5-Day Event

The Salvation Army of Chester will celebrate Christmas in July in an effort to raise much-needed funding for its summer camp program for underserved youth. The five-day event will take place July 18 through July 22, 11 am – 7 pm, at the ACME supermarket in Concordville Town Centre, US Route 1 and Route 322, Glen Mills. Dozens of volunteers will don red and green Hawaiian leis while they ring bells alongside The Salvation Army’s iconic red kettles to inspire ACME shoppers and passersby to make donations.

“We are blessed and grateful for the generosity of our volunteers and donors,” said Major Ervin McKoy, co-commanding officer, The Salvation Army of Chester.  “Community support is vital to our ability to serve those in need.”

Wilkes-Barre Salvation Army to Present Community Service and Others Awards

May 19 Event Raises Funds to Support Transitional Housing for Homeless Families

The Salvation Army of Wilkes-Barre‘s Annual Dinner will honor John and Michelle Nackley with the Community Service Award and Schiel’s Family Market with the Others Award. The Salvation Army of Wilkes-Barre’s Annual Dinner is an opportunity to recognize its volunteers, community partners and individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the betterment of the Wilkes-Barre area. In doing so, the event raises funds and awareness of its valuable programs and services. The Salvation Army of Wilkes-Barre’s Annual Dinner will take place 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm on Thursday, May 19, at Genetti’s Hotel & Conference Center, 77 E. Market St, Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Volunteering: Engaging a Sense of Purpose

There were mountains of cases outside The Salvation Army’s Greater Philadelphia Operations Center filled with thousands of pounds of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, gravy, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls. It all needed to be loaded into trucks and hauled to three Salvation Army sites before dawn on Thanksgiving morning for distribution to local families later that day. Among those up to the task – Team Rubicon!

“They moved, they lifted, they lugged,” recalled Major Susan Ferreira, Associate Director of Operations, The Salvation Army Greater Philadelphia.

New Program Supports Seniors in West Kensington

“They Feel a Spiritual Joy Here.”

The Salvation Army Tabernacle Corps Community Center, at the intersection of Allegheny Avenue and Mascher Street, sits in the heart of the Fairhill-West Kensington section of Philadelphia.  The largely Hispanic neighborhood is considered one of the poorest in the city, with a poverty rate of more than 62-percent – more than double the overall Philadelphia poverty rate of 26.3-percent – according to the U.S. Census. The once thriving manufacturing community of 50 years ago is now a sea of deteriorating buildings, trash-strewn streets, high crime, drug sales and prostitution.

 

“This is a very tough neighborhood,” said Captain Omar Rolon, Co-Commanding Officer, The Salvation Army Tabernacle Corps Community Center.

The Salvation Army is a place so many here in need turn to for support and spiritual guidance. That’s why every Wednesday, Luce Melendez and dozens of other older residents gather at Tabernacle for socializing, lunch, games, educational workshops and praise. They come for the new Seniors Program, which kicked off in the summer of 2015 with approximately 20 participants. Now it draws as many as 50 people on any given week.