18 minute read
Don’t Worry
For those experiencing homelessness, such as Ross and Sassy, The Salvation Army offers a safe refuge.
by Linda Leigh
Now, more than ever, people are facing new financial challenges and frightening realities. The Salvation Army across Canada has seen a fivefold increase in the number of people needing support in some locations over the last year. And people listing homelessness as their reason for visits has doubled since 2019. Temporary Refuge “I went to the front door of the Salvation Army shelter and rang the bell,” says Ross, 78. “When they answered, I wasn’t even sure what I was doing there. I had never been homeless.”
Ross had lived in the same apartment for 20 years when he was invited to move in with his sister.
A Dog’s Best Friend Ross, holding his beloved dog, Sassy, was relieved that The Salvation Army was there for them
“I don’t know where I would be without The Salvation Army.” ROSS
Both were widowed and on fixed incomes. It seemed like a good plan.
But a few months after Ross moved in, his sister had a heart attack and never recovered.
“New owners of the house raised the rent and I simply couldn’t afford it,” says Ross. “When I tried to find a place to live, landlords didn’t want to rent, fearful that people couldn’t pay their bills due to the pandemic. And rental units that were available were too expensive. I had no place to go.”
Ross found refuge in a hotel. But knew he couldn’t afford to stay for long.
A New Start “When I learned The Salvation Army in Campbell River, B.C., was pet-friendly, I was incredibly relieved,” says Ross. “Sassy was my only source of companionship and comfort at that point in my life.”
The shelter provided Ross with good food and a warm place to sleep. He was grateful for COVID-19 safety protocols that were in place and staff who truly cared about his well-being. After three months in the shelter, he moved into Kathy’s Place, the Army’s transitional housing program.
Across Canada, The Salvation Army has an increasing number of transitional housing units that offer a safe, supportive and semi-independent environment where people can rebuild their lives and make the transition from homelessness and marginalization to stable housing and meaningful engagement with the community.
“The Army tells me, ‘Don’t worry,’ and I don’t,” says Ross. “I don’t know where I would be without them.”
Transitional Housing
Across Canada, The Salvation Army has an increasing number of transitional housing units that offer a safe, supportive and semiindependent environment where people can rebuild their lives and make the transition from homelessness and marginalization to stable housing and meaningful engagement with the community. Length of stay • Transitional housing: six months to two years (varies by province/ territory) Transitional housing programs also provide: • Job training and job search assistance • Computer access • Life-skills coaching • Health and wellness activities
Three Words
BECAUSE OF THEM, A FAMILY WAS FOREVER CHANGED. by Wendy Mouland
Happy Siblings Wendy Mouland and her brother, Mike Mouland
When people ask me what is the one thing they can give to help make the world a better place during this global crisis, I reply, “Time.”
Even when finances are tight and resources limited, we can give of our time to help, to lead, to reach out, to serve, to meet human needs and demonstrate our love for our neighbours. Our time is one of the most beautiful gifts we can offer. And God can use that time to transform the lives of those around us. And I
actually have a story that can speak into this.
Mission From God I’ve often heard the story of Majors Woodrow and Maxine Boyde, a young Salvation Army officer couple who were transferred to a small town with a large church.
After working hard and settling into their new church and community, the pastors were preparing to go on a short and well-deserved holiday.
They were approached by their corps sergeant-major, the chief lay leader in any Salvation Army church who assists the pastors.
He asked if they would go and visit his daughter before they went on vacation. According to the corps sergeant-major, she was in serious trouble, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The worried father didn’t even think she’d be there when they returned from vacation.
The pastors promised to go see her but as sometimes happens, the couple found themselves sidetracked with other pressing ministry demands on their time, and the visit slipped their minds.
As they were pulling their car out of the driveway to leave for their longanticipated vacation, God whispered a reminder of the promise they’d made to go see their local leader’s daughter. They knew they had to make the time to do what they had promised. So the young couple pulled back into the driveway. Major Woodrow stayed with their children
while Major Maxine went back into their house, changed into her Salvation Army uniform and headed out on her mission.
Retreat and Defeat What Major Maxine walked into on that day was horrible.
She knocked on the door to enter a dirty, broken home where the mother, the corps sergeant-major’s daughter, was drinking, chainsmoking, and obviously high on drugs. She held a little boy who looked to be about a year old, and
Two Lives Changed Wendy’s mother and father, Juanita and Arthur Mouland, upon the occasion of his commission- ing as the corps sergeant-major in their home church in Musgrave Harbour, N.L.
next to her was a little girl who seemed to be about three. The girl was dressed in a dirty blue bathing suit and she looked like she’d been wearing it for days.
At that moment, the woman’s husband returned home. Extremely embarrassed that the Salvation Army pastor had walked in uninvited into this mess, he wasn’t friendly or welcoming to her.
The young pastor spent a few moments taking it all in, the mother high on drugs and alcohol, the dishevelled children, the surly father.
Totally overwhelmed and at a loss as to what she could possibly do or say, Major Maxine could only think of three words.
“God loves you,” she said.
As the pastor left the house and retreated home to her family, she felt defeated and wondered why God had ever sent them to that church and community. Changed and Transformed When Major Maxine and her family returned from their vacation, the last thing she expected to see was the mother and father and their two children at the Sunday night service.
But there they were.
And as the congregation started singing Amazing Grace, that broken couple walked to the mercy seat, that simple wooden bench at the front of the church where sinners and saints confess their sins. There, they made the decision to follow Jesus and to become Christians, and they promised they would serve God for the rest of their days.
The two were instantly transformed by the power of God’s Spirit, and from that moment on, they were set free from their addictions. They went on to live a life that was spiritually rich, full and free.
Time Well Spent The little boy and girl grew up knowing God. Like their parents, they started attending The Salvation Army. The children became involved in the church band and the youth programs, and they both became official members of the organization.
Today, the son is married with an amazing wife and two beautiful children, and they all attend The Salvation Army, giving of their time and resources to impact the world.
And I am the little girl in the dirty blue bathing suit. I grew up to become a Salvation Army pastor sharing my story.
Through the haze of alcohol and drugs, my mother heard a Salvation Army officer tell her that she was loved and valued. She heard three words—“God loves you”—three words used by God to change three generations of my family.
I have no idea where I’d be today if that Salvation Army officer hadn’t told my mother that God loved her. Major Maxine sacrificed time from her vacation to step into a broken home, to minister to a family who many in the community had written off as hopeless. That officer could never have known the impact she would make as she stepped into that house.
But because she did, three generations of a family were changed forever.
Happy Soldiers Mike with his wife, Ashley, and their two children, Isabella and Alex. The entire family are official members of The Salvation Army
(left) Major Wendy Mouland is the corps officer at Southlands Community Church in Winnipeg.
Faith on the Menu
THERE’S NO BEEF WITH HOW THE BURGER’S PRIEST RESTAURANT GIVES BACK. by Ken Ramstead
The Vatican Two grilled cheese sandwiches (made from buns) and two cheeseburgers
WALK INTO ANY BURGER’S PRIEST
location and you’ll realize you’re not in some generic fast-food joint. There are biblical quotes on the walls, and the hamburgers have names such as High Priest, Fiery Furnace, Noah’s Ark, Tower of Babel and Judgement Day.
But the quotes and names are not just for decoration or to impress.
“Our entire business is built around Acts 20:35: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ That Scripture captures it all,” says Alex Rechichi, CEO of Extreme Foods, of which The Burger’s Priest is a chain. “It’s not just about faith; it’s about doing what’s right, and the restaurant’s philosophy is built on that.”
Photos: Courtesy of The Burger’s Priest Birth of a Burger The first Burger’s Priest opened its doors in Toronto’s Beaches area in June 2010.
It was founded by Shant Mardirosian, a seminary student who had attended Tyndale University in Toronto.
Born and raised in California with a background in the food industry, he put his plans for the priesthood on hold and decided to try his hand at launching an eatery based on the classic old-fashioned burger he knew and loved as a child.
The Burger’s Priest soon developed a devoted following and attracted the attention of Alex, who owns almost 300 restaurants in Canada and the United States.
“I remember friends telling me, ‘You have to go check out this Burger’s Priest place.’ And I’d always reply, ‘I have an issue with burgers. They’re not really something I’m crazy about.’ ”
Alex was finally persuaded to try it out.
“I took a bite into a burger, looked at my partner and said, ‘Oh, my goodness. This is unbelievable.’ ”
Alex met Shant, then opening up his third Burger’s Priest, and the two joined forces. When Shant exited the business, Alex became sole owner, and the nine locations have grown to 25, in Toronto, Ottawa and Edmonton, and there are plans to start spreading across the country in the next couple of years.
Giving Back A person of faith himself, whose children attend Christian college, Alex’s plan “was to always continue the culture, soul and mindset that the brand was founded upon” under his watch.
“I certainly do not have Shant’s
depth of biblical knowledge, but we had a lot of conversations on faith and religion over the years,” Alex says. “One of the things I learned from Shant is how the organization has always given back. He was very in touch with that, and in tune with giving back to different causes he believed in. That’s exactly what we’ve continued to do with The Burger’s Priest.”
This was never truer than the steps The Burger’s Priest took dur-
ing COVID-19.
Paying It Forward The Burger’s Priest was not immune from the damage wrought by the pandemic’s restrictions on the restaurant industry.
“Our primary focus last year was to get our restaurants reopened,” says Alex. “It’s important for people to put food on their tables and to work.”
To that end, the restaurant started the Have Faith campaign. The First Ten Burger was created to celebrate a decade in operation. Billed as the “ultimate COVID comfort food,” this classic maple-dipped bacon cheeseburger was served between two full soft-baked doughnuts, grilled with butter and topped with a dusting of icing sugar. Proceeds from that and other burger sales and branded merchandise went toward The Full Plate, a Toronto non-profit charity that supports displaced hospitality and restaurant workers.
“We’ve been able to adapt,” says Alex, “but there are a lot of restaurants and small businesses that are finding it challenging.”
The Burger’s Priest also held a “giveaway giveaway” with a $10,000 prize. The winner submitted a video or essay nominating a deserving person, small business or charity that they would give the money to. And the person who submitted the winning entry would get free hamburgers for a year!
“We created this contest as a way
Burger Boss “Our entire business is built around Acts 20:35: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive,’ “ says Alex Rechichi, CEO of Extreme Foods, of which The Burger’s Priest is a chain
Order Up! (left) A scene from the launch of a Burger’s Priest in London, Ont.
To Go (above) Catering options for work or play are a specialty of The Burger’s Priest
Welcome! (right) A Toronto storefront
“We created this contest as a way to pay it forward. What better way to celebrate than to give?” ALEX RECHICHI
to pay it forward,” says Alex. “It’s about giving back. What better way to celebrate than to give?”
The Way We Were A similar initiative was adopted within the chain itself, where the staff have been asked to identify co-workers who have impacted their lives in a positive way.
“It’s unbelievable,” smiles Alex. “I’ve been reading the submissions and I have been wowed by what their co-workers are saying about the nominees.
“I’m proud of the connections we have with our guests, but it’s those connections we make with our front-line staff and fellow employees that’s truly wonderful. It’s a reflection on everyone, including my family, my colleagues and the rest of the team.”
Alex has been in the restaurant business since he was 21.
“It’s in my veins. I’m passionate about it, but the best part of it is truly the people.
“Like everybody else, I want everyone to stay safe, that’s the number one priority,” concludes Alex, “but I can’t wait for the day when we can interact with people the way we used to.”
Time to Eat (left) A typical scene at a Burger’s Priest in Edmonton. “I can’t wait for the day when we can interact with people the way we used to,” says Alex The Pope (right) A panko-crusted, cheesestuffed portobello cap sandwiched between two American cheddartopped beef patties in a non-sesameseed bun
The Frame Up
Photo: serikbaib/ stock.Adobe.com
MY LUNCH BAG REMINDS ME OF HOW FAR I HAVE COME, WITH THE HELP OF THE SALVATION ARMY. by Brent Perry
Iremember the date well: June 30, 2006. I had not washed or bathed in weeks, and I was passed out in Toronto’s Moss Park, right across from The Salvation Army’s Maxwell Meighen Centre, a multi-care facility where I was a resident.
But unlike other benders, when I came to that morning, the first thing I saw was a lunch bag in front of me. The bag had a message written on it in crayon: “Xavier loves you.” And there was a happy face drawn on it.
I never had any way of ever finding out, but I’ve always assumed that a child had walked by, either on a school trip or with his or her parents, saw me and took pity on me by leaving me their lunch.
At that moment, I saw myself through that child’s eyes. What happened? I thought. How did I get here?
Losing Yourself Where I was at that point was a million miles away and a thousand years beyond the life I had known. I had graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., with an MBA. I moved from Kingston to Toronto, intent on a career in corporate finance.
I was married at the time and a father of a boy, but he sadly passed away from congenital heart disease. That was a difficult time but my wife and I had two more children before we divorced.
Determined to make a fresh start, I moved to the United States and started working for Goldman Sachs in New York and London, England. I became addicted to the lifestyle, but I also became addicted to alcohol and cocaine.
I ended up back in Toronto. I’d lost my children, I’d lost my family, I’d lost all my material possessions. But the worst thing was that I’d lost myself.
“Are You Ready?” Looking at that lunch bag, realizing how I must have looked to that child, made me realize I needed help.
I crossed the street and returned to the Maxwell Meighen Centre.
My support worker took one look at me and knew something had changed.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“I’m going to walk with you down the street to St. Michael’s Hospital.”
She brought me right to the emergency department because I was in very rough shape. From there, I went into detox, which was very desperately needed, and after that I went into treatment. And I got clean, for the first time in a long time.
Choosing God But now what? I had nothing, and I had nowhere to go. The hospital was trying to get me into a safe facility but in the meantime, I had nowhere to go.
I returned to Maxwell Meighen, where I was placed in the protective services unit. There, I could stay clean, safe and sober. Without The Salvation Army, I probably would have relapsed and I seriously doubt I would be here today.
The Army found a place for me at Transition House, a short-term supportive residence in Toronto for men with addiction challenges who want to make a positive change in their lives. The Salvation Army gave me a subway token to get there. Every single thing I owned was in a garbage bag, and I can remember to this day walking up the steps to go to Transition House.
Fast forward to today. I’ve been clean and sober for more than 14 years and I am a firm believer in the 12-Step program, which requires a belief in a higher power.
As for me, I choose God.
Full Circle For the last decade, I have been on the board of directors of Transition House, the place that took me in.
I have spent a considerable period of time trying to mend my relationships with those that I had harmed.
My philosophy has been I needed to make amends for everything I had done in my past. I cannot control the outcome. Some people will accept that and some won’t, but that’s fine.
All I can do is clean up my side of the street.
I started over from scratch and created my own consulting company. It took some time but I got my business up and running and made it into a success.
Along the way—and this is the biggest blessing of all—I established an excellent relationship with both of my sons, now grown. I have a granddaughter now, who apparently finds me quite entertaining on FaceTime.
I also fell in love and I’m now engaged. It was my fiancée who called me up one evening and told me that The Salvation Army was looking for a senior philanthropy advisor in Ontario.
I applied, but during the job interview, I never once mentioned my past or how The Salvation Army had helped get me back on my feet. I wanted to get the job based upon my merits and abilities. After I was hired, however, I shared my past with my boss.
Life for me has come full circle.
A Life Changed I still have that lunch bag, by the
A Changed Life “Without The Salvation Army, I probably would have relapsed and I seriously doubt I would be here today,” says Brent Perry
way. I have no idea how I was able to keep it but it was in the green garbage bag that had all my earthly possessions.
It’s in a hideously ugly frame that I found while I was at Transition House. I was walking down the street. It was garbage day, and somebody had thrown it away, not surprisingly, but I retrieved it and framed the lunch bag. I know that I could reframe it but there are too many memories associated with it for me.
Looking at it reminds me of that long-ago day when my life changed, thanks to the good people at The Salvation Army.
Things have come a long way from my days as an international financier, but I have no regrets. I love the Army. I absolutely believe in the incredible work that they do—what we do.
