The school-age children who live in The Salvation Army’s Hospitality House emergency family shelter will soon be as warm and stylish as these young ones, because a donation from the Hispanic Employees’ Alliance will allow all 14 of them to shop for $100 in back-to-school clothes and school supplies at Target this Saturday. File photo from Carl Dameron
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Fourteen homeless children will soon arrive at school with brand new clothes, backpacks and classroom essentials, thanks to a donation of $1,400 from the Hispanic Employee Alliance Group to The Salvation Army, San Bernardino Corps.
The 14 children are the current school-age (kindergarten through 12th grade) occupants of Hospitality House, the emergency family shelter maintained by The Salvation Army of San Bernardino for the area’s homeless families. Shelter Director Roosevelt Carroll and volunteers will take these children to the Target Store on Orange Show Road at E Street, 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10.
At Target, each child will each receive from The Salvation Army a $100 gift certificate to select new clothes, new underwear, new shoes and socks, and any other clothes they need for school. They’ll also get new backpacks, pens and pencils, markers and crayons.
“They will have all the basics,” Carroll said. “Since they are homeless, some of them never had brand new shoes or a brand new shirt. It has always been hand-me-downs from an older brother or sister.”
“Here at the Salvation Army, we appreciate all donations,” he added. “This one is especially appreciated because it is aiming straight for our kids, is much needed and is a blessing.”
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
Artistic renderings of how the computer lab and media room may look when created by The Salvation Army, San Bernardino Corps, at its newly-acquired shelter on Tenth Street in San Bernardino. The Salvation Army will use a grant from Target to help with furnishings and design elements of these two rooms. Target awarded The Salvation Army multiple $25,000 grants for creating and remodeling media centers, libraries and other educational facilities. The San Bernardino Corps received one of these grants. Drawings courtesy of B.L. VENTIV, of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) As The Salvation Army’s San Bernardino Corps begins renovation of a new shelter on Tenth Street, two rooms will receive special attention thanks to a $25,000 grant from Target.
The grant will allow The Salvation Army to create a children’s media center and computer lab as it renovates its newly acquired Tenth Street homeless shelter, where it plans to relocate its Hospitality House and other ministry operations later this year. The area will provide homeless children a place to study, and the computers will also assist homeless adults in their search for homes and jobs.
Target actually awarded this grant to the Sierra del Mar Division (San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties) of The Salvation Army. Target also awarded similar $25,000 grants to each of the 39 other geographical divisions of The Salvation Army’s worldwide ministry, with the stipulation each be used to renovate one library, media center or other educational facility.
“We applied through our division for this grant, and we were successful,” said Capt. Stephen Ball, director of the San Bernardino Corps of The Salvation Army. “This grant was a good fit for us, as we have a renovation project already planned for our new shelter. But the rooms where we planned to establish a media center and computer lab are dismally small, poorly lit and in need of an extreme makeover.”
The grant will allow The Salvation Army to equip the rooms with good lighting, attractive tables and chairs for study and television viewing and 10 computer stations, Capt. Ball said. “They will replace 10 computers we already have, which are “so old we can’t do anything with them.”
Mostly, these Target grants are to renovate existing libraries and other educational facilities operated by The Salvation Army. But the San Bernardino Corps is nearly starting from scratch with its project.
The 10th Street shelter Hospitality House plans to move into later this year already exists, in a building more than 50 years old. Adult Rehabilitation Center, another ministry of The Salvation Army, recently turned this building over to the San Bernardino Corps after moving its men’s drug and alcohol treatment center from there to a new building on Doolittle Street.
“We’re proud to expand our ongoing partnership with The Salvation Army to help update library, educational and after school facilities throughout the country, providing children with inspiring places to read, learn and most importantly, grow,” said Laysha Ward, Target’s president of community relations. “Children are the heart and soul of our communities and we want to ensure that they have the valuable educational resources they need to be successful at school and in life.”
With other funds, The San Bernardino Corps is completely remodeling the 10th Street Building, so that it will be more suitable for families, many of which are headed by single mothers. It also is building apartments where eight to 10 families can live for up to two years if they still need some of the homeless shelter’s resources before transitioning to complete independence.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
Mark Seay as a football player for the San Diego Charters
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Former NFL Super Bowl wide receiver Mark Seay, who now makes headlines as a dynamic inspirational speaker as the community relations representative for Stater Bros. Market will speak to youth at The Salvation Army on Friday, April 24.
In his position, Seay speaks to youth groups throughout southern California, which is made possible through the funding of Stater Bros. Markets.
Seay said his presentation will focus on the importance of having dreams, setting goals and dealing with peer pressure and other forms of adversity.
“Find a way to focus on what really matters, so you can overcome peer pressure and other things that could bring you down,” he said.
His presentation begins at 6 p.m. It is open to all teen-agers, but with limited seating at The Salvation Army headquarters, guests should call (909) 888-1336 to RSVP.
“Mark Seay is a dynamic speaker who teens can relate to,” said Capt. Stephen Ball, director of the San Bernardino Corps of The Salvation Army. “We’d like teens from throughout the area to hear his message, and we are sure they will enjoy it.”
Like many of the teens who regularly take part in The Salvation Army’s Friday night youth meetings, Seay has overcome adversity. In 1981, his parents moved the family to San Bernardino from Compton to escape the influence gangs had on their daily life.
Seay was a standout on the San Bernardino High School football team, and earned a scholarship to California State University, Long Beach. But while there, he faced the toughest challenge of his life.
In 1988, while protecting his young niece from a random drive-by shooting, he was severely injured. This threatened what had been a promising college football career at Long Beach State, because after the shooting, the university declared Seay medically ineligible to play football.
But he regained his health and not only returned to the Long Beach State football team, but also went onto a pro career. He also played professional baseball for the Texas Rangers organization for one year in between high school and college.
Seay played wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers. In 1995, Seay made the record books by catching the first two-point conversion pass in Super Bowl XXIX.
Seay retired from the NFL in 1999.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
Holiday dinners, such as this one, always bring a crowd to The Salvation Army’s Hospitality House but it serves dinners in this room six days a week. This room also serves as a family shelter. Demand for these services is increasing in this poor economy.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) It’s a situation that no American ever believes they will be in, but a couple of months without work, and many people could find themselves on the streets. This is a situation that more Americans are facing as the nation’s economic woes continue.
However there are services available for people who find themselves without shelter. The Salvation Army’s Hospitality House Emergency Shelter has served as a safe haven for thousands of San Bernardino’s homeless since 1980.
Capt. Stephen Ball, executive officer of the San Bernardino Corps of The Salvation Army, said that in 2008 the Emergency Shelter served more than 300 families. “The Salvation Army has provided more than 17,000 nights of shelters to families,” Ball said. “We have experienced a significant increase in homelessness in recent years, this increase includes more women and children living on the streets.”
Roosevelt Carroll, Hospitality House director, sees more women and families coming into the shelter. “Last night we had a mother and her seven kids come in,” Carroll said. “A lot of the women have lost their jobs, or their husband lost his job.”
Carroll said the increase in demand for shelter space has caused the Salvation Army to look at its Cold Weather Shelter for overflow housing. The Salvation Army’s Cold Weather Shelter provides housing for men and women during the months of October through April. More space will be available in May, Carroll said.
Ball said homelessness can be caused by a variety of factors including substance abuse, mental and physical illness, spousal abuse and financial crisis, such as job loss.“We receive homeless families and immediately provide them with a safe, clean place to rest and begin the process of securing permanent housing.” Ball said. “They have access to supportive services that help them regain stability for each person within the family. Weekly case management meetings help monitor and evaluate the progress of each family.”
Carroll said family members can stay in the shelter for up to 90 days. Salvation Army officials encourage shelter residents to save 75 percent of their income to use towards a deposit on a new residence.
The Salvation Army plans to expand its services to include 24-month transitional apartments for families, Ball said. He said that the economic recession is putting additional strain on social services provider like The Salvation Army. “We need an additional $75,000 a year to keep the doors open to shelter and feed the homeless and make our expansion a reality,” Ball said.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
A team from the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, supervised by Dr. Perry Burtch, DDS, (back row, right) visited The Salvation Army recently and offered 16 of its guests free dental screenings. Roosevelt Carroll, (front row, right) director of The Salvation Army’s Hospitality House, said the mobile dental clinic was well received, and about 150 people requested information about the Custom Gold Grillz services Loma Linda University offers at its School of Dentistry campus. Carl Dameron photo
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – Sixteen guests of The Salvation Army recently received free dental screenings and cleanings when the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry brought its “Clinic With A Heart,” to the San Bernardino Corps parking lot.
“The clinic is actually an RV equipped with two dental chairs, an X-ray station and a sanitizer,” said Perry Burtch, Chiropractor Oshkosh, who supervised a team of four student dentists when the clinic went to The Salvation Army. “We go to various locations throughout the year because we want to help as many people as we can.”
“While the mobile clinic was only able to see 16 patients, as many as 150 asked for more information about the clinic it offers on the Loma Linda campus,” said Roosevelt Carroll, director of the Salvation Army’s Hospitality House shelter.
“We enjoyed Loma Linda University’s presence,” Carroll said. “We hope they will come back soon.”
With the mobile clinic’s visit, The Salvation Army was able to add dental care to the vast array of services it provides. On a daily basis, it offers shelter to the homeless, hot meals to the needy and educational programs with a spiritual component to youth and children. It also helps people who are affected by natural disasters such as fires and floods.
Loma Linda University’s mobile dental clinic visits elementary schools in Redlands and Mentone on a weekly basis, offering the children who attend there such services as dental fillings and extractions, Burtch said. It also visits a homeless shelter in Riverside on a monthly basis, offering a similar service to the adults-only guests of that shelter.
And, it selects 10 to 12 other locations a year where low-income people may be concentrated, Burtch said. These are primarily to make the community more aware of low-cost dental services provided at the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
At the locations where it isn’t regularly visiting, services are limited to dental screenings and cleanings. “Student dentists can’t work as fast as a regular dentists,” Burtch explained. “Since we want to help as many people as possible, we provide a limited amount of services and refer them to our dental clinic on campus if they need more than routine care.”
Anyone interested in these low-cost dental services, which accept most insurance plans, should call (909) 558-4675 to make arrangements to be seen. For urgent care, call (909) 558-4666. To make arrangements for children under the age of 15, please call (909) 558-4689. About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
Tony Straughter, a member of the local SATERN Committee, at a recent seminar the committee put on at The Salvation Army. For those who would like to further help The Salvation Army by obtaining an amateur radio license and volunteering with SATERN, the committee is hosting a licensing class on Feb. 28 at the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps office. Photo courtesy of Tony Stephen
Capt. Stephen Ball, commanding officer of The Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps, addresses a recent seminar about the importance of SATERN’s radio communications during the Corps disaster relief efforts. Photo courtesy of Tony Stephen
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – The Inland Empire’s Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network, also known as SATERN, invites all Salvation Army officers, cadets, volunteers and friends to attend the Amateur Licensing Class on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at The Salvation Army Corps, 746 W. Fifth St. in San Bernardino.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. followed by the six-hour class that starts at 8:30 a.m. Testing begins at 4 p.m. with a license exam fee of $15. Lunch will be provided for those who attend, and will not exceed $5.
The six-hour class will cover the basic materials required to obtain an FCC Technician Class Amateur Radio License. Sample tests are available online at WWW.QRZ.COM.
SATERN uses amateur radio to communicate among its own members who are participating in a Salvation Army disaster relief effort, and with the emergency workers they’re helping.
The Salvation Army has helped in just about every disaster that has broken out over the last century, including fires, earthquakes, floods and the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The Inland Empire Corps’ most recent disaster relief efforts were during the Triangle Complex fire near Corona last year.
For more information about the class, call Paul Hager at (909) 499-0732.
SATERN asks those attending to R.S.V.P. by email to AE6TR@arrl.net by February 23, 2009.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – Anyone interested in amateur radio is invited to learn how they can help one of the world’s oldest disaster relief organizations in its communications efforts.
The Inland Empire’s Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network, also known as SATERN, will hold its 13th Annual Introduction and Seminar on Saturday, Jan. 31. This free event takes place from 8:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps, 746 W. Fifth St., San Bernardino. It’s open to the public and includes a complimentary lunch.
SATERN relies on amateur or shortwave radio, a technology that’s been around since before World War II, but is growing more sophisticated. These radios allow two-way communication across areas of about 200 miles, so SATERN uses them to communicate among its own members who are participating in a Salvation Army disaster relief effort, and with the emergency workers they’re helping.
The Salvation Army has helped in just about every disaster that has broken out over the last century, including fires, earthquakes, floods and the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The Inland Empire Corps’ most recent disaster relief efforts were during the Triangle Complex fire near Corona last year.
“Amateur radio is a great hobby and participating in SATERN is a great way to turn that hobby into something that helps our Inland Empire tremendously,” said Tony Stephen, Inland Empire SATERN Committee member. “If more people join us, we will be able to deliver communications more effectively during the next fire or other disaster that hits our area.”
After a sign-in time, the seminar gets underway at 9 a.m. The first speakers are Trace Wilette, a member of the Inland Empire’s SATERN committee and Capt. Stephen Ball, executive officer of the San Bernardino Corps. They will provide an introduction to SATERN.
From 9:30 to 9:45 a.m., members of SATERN and American Radio Relay League will introduce themselves. American Radio Relay League is an amateur radio organization separate from The Salvation Army, but whose members also are involved in disaster relief.
The next speaker is Jay Jones, an amateur radio operator and University of La Verne biology and biochemistry professor. Jones will speak on “A View of the Future,” providing a look at what he believes the future of amateur radio’s role in disaster relief will be.
From 11 a.m. to 12 noon, Suzi Woodruff Lacey, director of public relations for The Salvation Army’s Western Division, will speak on “SATERN’s Role in Critical Communications. Lacey will explain how SATERN provides vital communication services on several fronts during disasters, such as between its own members, to the rescue workers they’re assisting and to the public. Rescue workers frequently rely on SATERN to help those displaced in a disaster communicate their whereabouts to out-of-town family, and to provide media with information that will help keep everyone safe and well-informed.
After lunch, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Marty Woll, vice director of American Radio Relay League, addresses one of the latest technologies in amateur radio, Near Vertical Incident Skywire. Amateur radio requires use of an exceptionally large antenna, and NVIS technology allows operators to erect the antenna at an angle that will maximize their opportunity to successfully send and receive radio transmissions at the upper end of their range, perhaps as far as 300 miles.
So it will have an accurate lunch count, SATERN asks those attending to RSVP, either by email to ke6jzf@verizon.net or by calling Stephen at (909) 628-2843. He’s also accessible through amateur radio by contacting KE6JZF.
For more information go to the website www.satern.net or ,contact Stephen.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
Jessica Davis, 8, of San Bernardino, looks at some of the gingerbread houses that had just been donated to the Salvation Army. Jessica had come to the Salvation Army with her grandmother on the day the Job Corps visited to volunteer, as it was busy then creating holiday gift packages for those less fortunate.
See Gingerbread house donated by Inland Empire Job Corps.
Inland Empire Job Corps students, including Janna Maples, Theo Rodriguez and Jorge Galdanez, foreground baked gingerbread houses before Christmas and donated seven of them to the Salvation Army Corps of San Bernardino.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The hot daily meal and warm beds at The Salvation Army’s Hospitality House always attract up to 96 homeless people, but for a short time before Christmas things were even sweeter.
On Thursday, Dec. 18, the guests had seven gingerbread houses to enjoy, courtesy of the culinary arts students at the Inland Empire Job Corps. These houses made festive decorations throughout most of that day, but were on the menu for desert that night.
“The kids are going to love these,” Hospitality House Director Roosevelt Carroll said after the Job Corps delivered their sweet creations. “It’s a blessing for them to even see a gingerbread house. Then they will eat them piece by piece.”
Even if they knew their creations would be quickly eaten, baking and decorating these and 13 other gingerbread houses were a labor of love for the young people enrolled in the Job Corps Home Inspector program. After all, if it weren’t for the federally funded training program that also gives these 16- to 24-year-olds a place to live, many of them would be struggling too.
“What we did makes us feel good,” said Theo Rodriguez, one of the student bakers.
“We’re giving to people who need help more than we do,” said another baker, Jorge Galdanez.
Job Corps also gave gingerbread houses to Maple House, a residential program in
San Bernardino for people recovering from substance abuse and their children.
“This definitely was a lot of work,” said Monica Zapata. “But it was a wonderful experience.”
The students spent anywhere from two days to a week cutting templates for the walls of the gingerbread houses, baking, and decorating them. They worked under the guidance of Job Corps Instructor Michael Gurd, who is like a father to many of them.
“Chef Michael is my father,” said Aric Ianni. “I grew up without a dad, so he has been that role model for me.”
Job Corps’ culinary students, including the 10 who came to The Salvation Army, plan on careers as chefs in restaurants, on cruise ships and as caterers. They’re learning the basics of commercial food preparation in the San Bernardino program and can obtain advanced training at another Job Corps program in San Francisco if they choose.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps
The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires. See Windows and doors Hamilton
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
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Children were among the 96 volunteers who helped at The Salvation Army Corps Thanksgiving Day feast. One of the duties given them was to serve guests slices of pumpkin pie for desert. Photo by Ricardo Tomboc
Capt. Stephen Ball, commander of The Salvation Army Corps of San Bernardino, with children who took part in the Corps Thanksgiving Day feast. Photo by Ricardo Tomboc
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) More than 200 hungry people braved a Thanksgiving Day storm to enjoy a holiday dinner at The Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps’ Hospitality House.
And almost 100 volunteers were there to serve them.
Capt. Stephen Ball, commander of the San Bernardino Corps, reported that 96 volunteers served 204 meals to hungry guests on Thanksgiving Day. That’s just a few more people than the regular Salvation Army crew serves every day.
“Turnout was light for Thanksgiving,” said Capt. Ball. “In the morning, when it was raining, there weren’t as many people around as there are on a normal day. We eventually served 204 dinners, but we had enough to serve at least 400. I think people must have found other places to go for Thanksgiving, where they could be out of the rain.”
The food didn’t go to waste, though, according to Capt. Ball. Since The Salvation Army serves dinners six days a week, the Thanksgiving leftovers made dinner for the 125 or so people who came to the Corps on Friday and the approximately same number who came on Saturday.
By Monday, the Thanksgiving feast had disappeared, and The Salvation Army was back to feeding people from its normal every day budget. That budget, which must last an entire year, gets its biggest boost in December from The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle/bellringer campaign.
From now through Dec. 24, donors can also give through the Red Kettle Drive, a holiday tradition the Army has relied on for more than 100 years. Look for red kettles accompanied by bellringers at locations throughout the Inland Empire and everywhere else. Everything a Salvation Army bellringer collects stays within the community.
Online giving, which can be directed specifically to the San Bernardino Corps, is possible at any time by going to www.salvationarmy.usa.org.
And, with holiday shopping on most folks’ minds already, The Salvation Army hopes people will shop for their poorest neighbors, too. Gifts of food and toys are needed for about 750 families relying on the San Bernardino Corps to have any kind of Christmas celebration at all this year.
Donations of time are also highly needed. For one, The Salvation Army wants to beef up the volunteer bellringer force. It also needs volunteers to help with assembling, wrapping and distribution of gift baskets and toys for the needy.
Those interested in donating time or presents should call the San Bernardino Corps at (909) 888-1336. Toys can also be donated through the Sharing Tree programs at the Inland Center Mall, the Ontario Mills Mall, the Montclair Plaza and the Redlands Wal-Mart.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps Commander Capt. Stephen Ball; Arlene Lewis, wife of U. S. Congressman Jerry Lewis; Salvation Army Advisory Board Member Annorr Gowdy and Advisory Board Chairman Tom Brickley review plans for adding transitional living apartments to the soon-to-be-remodeled shelter at 925 10th Street, where The Salvation Army recently hosted a fund-raising luncheon. In early 2009 it will become the Hospitality House shelter for 125 women and children. Photo by Carl Dameron
Stater Brothers executives Steve Landry, district manager; Judy Lewis, chief financial officer and Sarah Cain, executive director of Stater Brothers Charities, present a $6,918.31 check to Nancy Tortorelli, financial officer for The Salvation Army and Capt. Stephen Ball, commander of the San Bernardino Corps of The Salvation Army. Photo by Carl Dameron
San Bernardino Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Judy Penman and San Bernardino City Attorney James Penman listen to a speaker at a lunch held to honor large donors to The Salvation Army Corps of San Bernardino. Photo by Carl Dameron
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Salvation Army Corps of San Bernardino raised about $40,000 on Wednesday, Nov. 12, when it hosted a fund-raising luncheon at its future homeless shelter.
Most of this came in the form of donations of $1,000 or more from wealthy San Bernardino-area residents who share the Salvation Army’s vision for helping the community. Among these donors were Congressman Jerry and Arlene Lewis of Redlands.
For 30 years, Jerry Lewis has served as a representative in the United States Congress, and prior to then as a California Assembly member. But even before he entered politics, Congressman Lewis developed an appreciation for the services The Salvation Army provides.
“As a student at the University of California, Los Angeles, he had the opportunity to travel to India,” Arlene Lewis said. “He remembers seeing an ophthalmologist with The Salvation Army there and a long line of people standing in front of him waiting to have their cataracts removed so they could see. “
The building at 925 10th Street where the San Bernardino Corps plans to move its Hospitality House shelter in 2009 now houses the Adult Rehabilitation Center, a Salvation Army program serving 77 men who are recovering from drug and alcohol addictions. Arlene Lewis publicly acknowledges that branch of The Salvation Army became personally significant to her family a few years ago, when her son lived there for a short time while battling addiction.
“I love The Salvation Army and what they do here,” she said. “Especially because of our personal experience, Jerry and I want to help them in any way we can. We are excited about the plans for growth the Salvation Army has.”
Soon, Adult Rehabilitation Center will move to a new facility on Doolittle Street, with room to treat 125 men. The San Bernardino Corps will then remodel the building on 10th Street to better serve 100 homeless women and children, and it will build eight to 12 apartments so that some of these guests can have a better opportunity to rebuild their lives after becoming homeless, through transitional housing.
A donation of $6,918.31 came from Stater Brothers’ Charities, a 501c3 non-profit foundation the grocery store chain formed in March of this year to better serve the communities where it does business.
“The Salvation Army serves on the front lines of those communities, so we decided to make a major donation,” said Foundation Executive Director Sarah Cain. “our website want to help in their relief efforts.”
The Salvation Army has a rich history in San Bernardino. It began serving here in 1887, just 12 years after William and Catherine Booth founded the international organization in London.
For the last four to five decades, some of that service has taken place at the 925 10th Street Building. The San Bernardino Corps also had a shelter on Kingman Street for many years, but the shelter is now temporarily operating in the Headquarters Building on Fifth Street.
The Headquarters building has also served the community for decades as a church, a place for the needy to receive donations of food, toys and clothing and a staging point for emergency relief operations.
“As a shelter, the Headquarters building is a temporary solution,” said Capt. Stephen Ball. “When we remodel this shelter, we will be able to serve more women and children.”
To put a human face on the good The Salvation Army has done in recent years, four recipients of its hospitality told the lunch guests about their experiences with the Adult Rehabilitation Center and the Hospitality House.
Trent, a former guest of the Adult Rehabilitation Center, was able to break his addiction to methamphetamine and other drugs through the treatment program offered there. Through a Salvation Army Corps program called Pathway to Prosperity, he was then able to earn a certificate at San Bernardino Valley College to become a drug and alcohol counselor.
“I’ve been through a lot but I would do it all over again if I knew I’d end up where I am today,” Trent said. “I have nothing but pats on the back for The Salvation Army.”
Robin stayed at the Hospitality House with her husband and four children after both adults in the family lost their jobs and subsequently, their car and their home. The Salvation Army was able to immediately offer not just shelter, but a job for Robin’s husband as a company truck driver. That allowed the family to save up for an apartment and a new car.
Since then, her husband has obtained a better-paying job as a driver for the City of San Bernardino and she has found work with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. She still spends a lot of time at Hospitality House, because her job entails tutoring the children who li
ve there now.
“I just want to thank The Salvation Army for helping us to get back on our feet,” she said.
Jose, who is not yet 18 years old, has endured homelessness several times, along with his mother and his two younger brothers. Each time, he said, the staff of the Hospitality House has welcomed them and treated them with respect. As he nears adulthood, he helps with The Salvation Army’s youth ministry and is learning valuable leadership skills for a brighter future.
“If it wasn’t for The Salvation Army, I don’t know what would happen to me, my mom and my brothers,” he said.
Amanda, age 17, stayed briefly at The Hospitality House this year after her family threw her out on the streets. She continues to take part in its youth ministry. She said she first came with a negative attitude, but now sees that people there truly want to help.
“Because of The Salvation Army, I had a place to stay,” she said through her tears. “They care about me and want the best for me.”
While the $40,000 raised through the luncheon held Wednesday is greatly appreciated, more is needed to help people like Trent, Robin, Jose and Amanda. The Salvation Army is therefore encouraging others to give what they can.
Online giving, which can be directed specifically to the San Bernardino Corps, is possible at any time by going to www.salvationarmy.usa.org.
From mid-November through Dec. 24, donors can also give through the Red Kettle Drive, a holiday tradition the Army has relied on for more than 100 years. Look for red kettles accompanied by bellringers at locations throughout the Inland Empire and everywhere else. Everything a Salvation Army bellringer collects stays within the community.
Donations of time are also highly needed. For one, The Salvation Army wants to beef up the volunteer bellringer force. It also needs volunteers for its upcoming Thanksgiving dinner.
And, with holiday shopping on most people’s minds already, The Salvation Army hopes people will shop for their poorest neighbors too. Gifts of food and toys are needed for about 750 families relying on the San Bernardino Corps to have any kind of Christmas celebration at all this year.
Those interested in donating time or presents should call the San Bernardino Corps at (909) 888-1336. After Thanksgiving, toys can also be donated through the Sharing Tree programs at the Inland Center Mall, the Ontario Mills Mall, the Montclair Plaza and the Redlands Wal-Mart.
About the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps The Salvation Army may be able to provide emergency services including food; lodging for homeless or displaced families; clothing and furniture; assistance with rent or mortgage and transportation when funds are available. The Salvation Army Team Radio Network assists rescue workers and evacuees in such disasters as fires.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian church and also offers evangelical programs for boys, girls and adults. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. Donations may always be made online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or by calling 1-(800)-SAL-ARMY.
