Abstract

Introduction

The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible and its ministry is motivated by the love of God. The mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. (The Salvation Army 2003) The Salvation Army is funded by donations and voluntary support. The national headquarters is located in Alexandria, Virginia, while London serves as the site of its international headquarters. It is organized using a military model, following a similar chain of command, including military titles for personnel, local bands, and banners. While these officers are necessary, committed volunteers are also essential to the success of this extensive ministry and its programs.
Historical Roots In 1865, the Salvation Army was founded in London by William Booth, an English Methodist minister. First known as the "Christian Mission" to provide social welfare assistance to the residents of urban slums and save them from their sinful lifestyles of prostitution, gambling, and drunkenness, it was renamed in 1878. Military ranks and titles were assigned according to their responsibilities. His wife, Catherine, was co-founder. The "soldiers" preached openly in the streets. They promoted high ideals of service and commitment.

Importance of the Salvation Army The Salvation Army is currently active in ninety-eight countries, using 136 languages. It was the first significant organization to recognize and act upon a Christ-like belief that providing for the physical needs of the poor enabled meeting their spiritual needs. Its ministry is a model of Christian social action. It pioneered the pairing of relief and social welfare with the opportunity for work. Significantly, the Salvation Army never distinguishes its programs from its evangelical ministry, nor wavers from its doctrine. Worldwide facilities include children's homes, maternity homes, and hotels offering free lodging and meals. Institutions include community centers, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, children's camps, foster care centers, senior citizen residences, senior centers, and homeless shelters which enroll people in work programs. Its programs address juvenile delinquency, alcohol and substance abuse, war and disaster relief, veteran's assistance, unemployment and indigence, family counseling, and daycare needs, in addition to religious services. It operates 600 kindergartens, 950 primary and middle schools, 100 secondary schools, fifty trade schools, and twenty-five teacher training schools, a Bible College and one university. The Salvation Army has been historically distinctive because its women hold leadership and preaching positions. In fact, women led expansion of the organization and continue to give leadership in all facets. General Eva Burrows, elected in 1986 as international leader, held the highest ecclesiastical leadership position of any woman in the world at the time of her election. While many churches debate the issue of ordination of women, the preaching and pulpit ministry of the Salvation Army has been open to women since its beginning.
Nonprofit Organization In 2012, the Salvation Army raised $1.2 billion in cash and in-kind contributions. The organization utilizes over $0.83 of each dollar it receives to provide relief services for those in need. It is 1 of only 4 (of the fifteen largest social welfare and health charities charted) to meet or exceed the standard set by the National Charities Information Bureau, of which 65% of the Salvation Army's total budget was spent on programs proving its strong belief of accountability and stewardship.
Programs and Services The Salvation Army is serving more people in the United States than ever before. We are already seeing large increases in the number of Americans seeking the basic necessities of life - food, shelter, and warmth. Approximately 30 million people received help from The Salvation Army in 2012.
Adult Rehabilitation For over 100 years The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Centers (ARC) and Harbor Lights programs have provided spiritual, social, and emotional assistance for men and women who have lost the ability to cope with their problems and provide for themselves. Centers offer residential housing, work, and group and individual therapy in a clean wholesome environment. The physical and spiritual care that program participants receive prepares them to re-enter society and return to gainful employment. Many of those who have been rehabilitated are reunited with their families and resume a normal life. Each program participant is provided with a clean and healthy living environment, good food, work therapy, leisure time activities, group and individual counseling, spiritual direction, and resources to develop life skills and a personal relationship with God as provided by Jesus Christ. The Salvation Army does not solicit government funding for this program, the ARC program is made possible through the generosity of those who donate goods that can be sold in our family thrift stores and provide services that are made available to the participants of our programs.
Veterans Affairs Services Every year The Salvation Army serves hundreds of thousands of veterans in need. The ministry of The Salvation Army for veterans has grown from serving coffee and doughnuts in World War I to providing various programs of comfort and cheer. Services rendered to the veterans are as unique as the communities they live in. It can range from lending assistance with wheelchairs to get veterans outside for some fresh air to experiencing a weekend at camp. Some are provided phone cards and large print Bibles. From coast to coast, Salvation Army programs recognize the sacrifices our veterans have made for their country.
Prison Ministries Through cooperative arrangements with prison, probation, and parole officials throughout the country, The Salvation Army plays a growing role in prison rehabilitation and crime prevention. In some jurisdictions, prisoners are paroled to the direct custody of The Salvation Army. Services include Bible correspondence courses, prerelease job-training programs, and employment opportunities in cooperation with parole personnel, material aid, and spiritual guidance to both prisoners and their families. Many Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Centers and Harbor Light Centers have served as designated halfway houses where former prisoners can participate in work-release programs. Those convicted of minor offenses often are given the opportunity to accept placement in community service programs at corps community centers and institutions as an alternative to incarceration, or in the last months of their sentences. In addition, Salvation Army officers and volunteers lead worship services in jails and prisons. A national Salvation Army Correctional Services Sunday is observed. Counseling and emergency assistance also are available to crime victims.
Combating Human Trafficking The Salvation Army is deeply committed to the modern-day fight against human trafficking (for sexual and labor purposes) and forms of commercial sexual exploitation innately linked to sexual trafficking. This commitment emerges from both The Salvation Army’s mission - to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in His name without discrimination - and is rooted in the organization's early history. The Salvation Army was founded in London, England, in 1865 by the husband and wife team of Catherine and William Booth. The Booths went against Victorian conventions and took their ministry to the dirty and dangerous streets of London's east side where they reached out to the destitute and desperate. Their efforts eventually evolved into a battle to protect women and children from the horrors of sex trafficking. Upon learning of the desperate needs of women and children at risk of or already caught up in organized commercial sexual exploitation, The Salvation Army responded by opening homes for women and girls and developing intensive "Rescue Work." Within thirty years Salvation Army rescue homes grew from one to 117. The Salvation Army's efforts to help women and girls in prostitution did not stop there. In one of the most fascinating chapters of its history, The Salvation Army participated in the planning and execution of an undercover investigation into the trafficking of young girls for prostitution - a detailed account of which was published in July 1885 by the Pall Mall Gazette in a series of articles called, "The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon." The series created enough fervor to foment public opinion in support of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, a measure which when passed in August 1885 raised the age of consent from 13 to 16 (although reformers sought 18). The Salvation Army's advocacy efforts were a major catalyst in the bill's passage. Now, more than a century later, The Salvation Army in the United States and abroad is part of a reviving movement for the abolition of sex trafficking and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation.
Hunger Relief According to Feeding America, more than 48.8 million people face the threat of hunger daily in the United States. To help mitigate that threat, The Salvation Army serves 60 million meals to anyone in need through its many soup kitchens, sit-down meal programs, food pantries, mobile meals and community gardens. These nutritional meals assist homeless people of all ages, as well as individuals and families who may be down on their luck and in need of some extra assistance.
Housing and Homeless Services Group homes, emergency shelters, and transitional living centers provide housing, food, and overnight lodging for varying amounts of time to those in need. In addition, they provide educational, counseling and vocational services to homeless, destitute individuals and families, and youth where family care is undesirable or unavailable. For those families with temporal needs, family service programs help families and needy individuals with emergency food, housing, and utility assistance. 
 The Salvation Army Center of Hope located on Presto Lane in Jackson, Mississippi is an emergency and transitional living facility. The purpose of the Center of Hope program is to assist people in helping themselves to overcome through Christ the problems that have damaged their lives. The ultimate goal is to integrate the individual back into society in about 90 days. Education, life skills and Christianity are a major part of this approach.
Christmas Assistance The "miracle" of Christmas is repeated over and over again through the joy of caring and sharing. The traditional red kettle is an integral part of the Christmas scene, with millions of dollars donated each year to aid needy families, seniors, and the homeless. Donations and financial assistance provide Christmas dinners, clothing, and toys for families in need, including families of prisoners. Volunteers distribute gifts to shut-ins in hospitals and nursing homes, and shelters are open for sit-down dinners. The Salvation Army endeavors to bring spiritual light and love to those it serves at Christmas so that the real meaning of the season is not forgotten. Many families receive aid over a period of months after the Christmas season, as well as people struggling with difficult family, emotional, or employment problems. Because of the urgency to respond to the varying needs of the communities in which we serve, all of our holiday assistance programs are administered locally. The Jackson locations begin registration as early as October, so it's recommended you contact your local Salvation Army to inquire about registration dates.
Youth Camps & Recreation Thousands of children from low-income families enjoy fresh air, exercise and new friendships at annual summer camp programs. The camping experience is more than just a pleasant vacation. Children learn new skills and self-reliance; trained counselors who understand their emotional needs and problems help them to mature. The Salvation Army’s 300 acre Camp Hidden Lake located in Lexington, Mississippi, helps disadvantaged boys and girls in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi open their eyes to a whole new world – THE NATURAL WORLD. Camp Hidden Lake teaches kids new skills, healthy attitudes, and great values. Camp Hidden Lake offers sports, music, Bible Study, arts and crafts, swimming, fishing, and other activities for school aged youngsters in our community.
After School Programs The Salvation Army operates hundreds of after school programs in low and moderate-income neighborhoods across the country. These programs provide children with a safe place to play and learn in a supervised and constructive environment. In many cases The Salvation Army will provide sports, arts, and music programs, which may or may not be available in the local school systems. As the economy has declined and local municipalities have struggled to fund these extracurricular programs. The Salvation Army has made an effort in many communities to provide these learning opportunities. The Community Center on Beasley Road promotes parent education, and focuses on children’s education with after school programs targeting Kirksey, Northwest and Chastain middle schools as well as North Jackson, Boyd and McWillie elementary schools.
Kroc Center Locations In 1998, Mrs. Joan Kroc, widow of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc, donated $90 million to The Salvation Army to build a comprehensive community center in San Diego, California. Her goal was to create a center, supported in part by the community, where children and families would be exposed to different people, activities and arts that would otherwise be beyond their reach. Completed in 2001, the center sits on 12 acres and offers an ice arena, gymnasium, three pools, rock climbing walls, a performing arts theatre, an internet-based library, computer lab, and a school of visual and performing arts. When Mrs. Kroc passed away in October 2003, she left $1.5 billion - much of her estate - to The Salvation Army, by far the largest charitable gift ever given to the Army, and the largest single gift given to any single charity at one time. The initial disbursements of this bequest began in January 2005. The gift had by then grown to $1.8 billion and was split evenly among the four Army Territories - Central, East, South and West. The money was designated to build a series of state-of-the-art Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Centers nationwide patterned after the San Diego center. From the very beginning, The Salvation Army envisioned this as a long-term project – that it could take up to 10 or 15 years to have all of the centers open and operational No other U.S. charity – faith-based or otherwise – has ever undertaken such a sweeping fundraising or construction effort with the potential to impact millions of people. To date, 25 centers are open and operating. An additional 3 centers are currently scheduled to open in 2014 for a total of 28 centers once the project is complete. Please follow the web-links below for the latest information on the status of individual Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Centers and thanks for stopping by. The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center has a vested interest in the success of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The aim is to offer programs to cultivate a sense of self-ownership and empowerment in the lives of thousands. The Kroc Center offers a wide range of athletic and recreational activities for youth and adults; music training and workshops for interested community members; a performance and visual arts theatre; a multi-purpose center; and Young at Heart for our Seniors-which offers supportive systems and opportunities for volunteering. Ultimately, The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center programs want Mississippi Gulf Coast residents to realize their full potential. The SA understands that this area is full of people who have a strong desire to serve their communities and they are encouraged to be part of “Doing The Most Good.” The Army wants the residents to know that they are valued and deserve the best that can be offered from caring partners. They believe that a spiritual mindset and a healthy body will be achieved through The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center’s supportive programming.
Salvation Army Volunteering Opportunities It is remarkable the good that just one volunteer can do for a person, a family, or even a whole community. The rewards of volunteering can be immense for both the volunteer and for those on the receiving end. Your donation of time, talents and hard work given with a kind-hearted attitude can produce amazing results. This invaluable volunteer support enables us to utilize our funding to provide services that are designed to meet the needs of our growing communities. The Salvation Army offers volunteer opportunities for individuals as well as opportunities for group projects. Independent volunteering is a great way to meet new people while helping others, and group projects serve as wonderful team-building activities for established groups or clubs. Those who want to help but who are not able to participate as a volunteer can still help in other ways. For example, if you are not able to participate as a volunteer, you may consider collecting items to donate to one of our many programs. A little help makes a big difference! Community Affiliations For The Salvation Army Jackson Corps, CLIMB is about Community Leaders Investing, Mentoring, and Believing in the ongoing work of The Salvation Army, and our commitment to breaking the cycles of entitlement to help transform lives for the better. This partnership includes caring for those unable to provide for themselves especially shelter, food, disaster response and recovery. At the same time, we offer proven programs that guide people toward a better quality of life. The Salvation Army of Greater Jackson seeks your resource and/or financial support through this special partnership. Participation gives the SA the ability to continue to meet the needs of citizens in Hinds, Madison, Rankin, Copiah, Scott and Yazoo.