by David Chapman
Staff Writer
How do you station an army in a single cubicle, corner office or second floor suite?
You can’t, but the Salvation Army comes close.
The Salvation Army’s Northeast Florida Area Command covers numerous offices, warehouses, schoolrooms and buildings across Duval, Nassau, Clay and St. Johns counties, but the public was given a peek into a few of the operation’s workspaces during a recent facilities tour.
The Salvation Army might be best known for its red kettles during the holidays, but the non-profit organization is an international movement that’s part of the Christian Church with a mission to provide “food for the hungry, companionship for the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, opportunities for underprivileged children, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled and other services to those in need,” according to organization documents.
The Northeast Florida Area Command tour included stops at its chapel and senior center on Church Street, for an introduction and walk-through of the facility where seniors were having an arts and crafts session to create Valentines and different pieces of art.
From there, it was on to the Child Development Center on Ocean Street. The nationally accredited center has 25 slots for children of the homeless, working poor and downtown working families on a daily basis.
The next stop, the Towers Social Services Center on Adams Street, is a shelter and kitchen facility that houses and helps families become self-sufficient. The facility serves over 500 meals a day to the sheltered families and general homeless in need. Workers help sheltered families get on the right track by helping them budget and get current on bills before they leave.
The last stop was the Adult Rehabilitation Center and thrift store on Beach Boulevard. The rehabilitation center houses men with drug and alcohol problems and assists them in receiving treatment. Those men then help sort through items donated to the thrift store to be resold, with funds fully covering the costs of the rehab center. Other programs also benefit from thrift store revenues.
Of every dollar donated, 85 cents goes toward local programs, said Area Commander Jim Arrowood. His wife, Major Linda Arrowood, serves as coordinator of women’s ministries.
The wide-ranging services provided by the charitable organization are open to everyone, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or religion. The only requisite is that a person be in need.
“You don’t have to be a Christian to love the Salvation Army,” said Tania Yount, director of development for The Salvation Army’s Northeast Florida Area Command. “We’re open to everyone.”
For information on how to donate to The Salvation Army, call Yount at 301-4841. For information on volunteer opportunities, call Calanthia Hires at 301-4846.