The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command 2009 Annual Report : Finding Smiles in the Most Interesting Faces
Our Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 About Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 A Letter from Your Area Commander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Transitional Housing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Emergency Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 New Millennium of Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Volunteers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Alcohol & Drug. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Financial Highlights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Youth Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Disaster Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Command Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Advisory Board Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
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Our Mission The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
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About Us History Across the Region
The Salvation Army began its work in Washington, DC, and surrounding communities more than 114 years ago, a few years after arriving in America from London, England, where today it maintains its International Headquarters. From the start, The Army in Washington, DC, created programs to feed the hungry and the poor, shelter the homeless and provide counseling and support to those people most in need of help. As needs grew so did the number of locations and variety of services available to the community. The earliest locations were in downtown Washington, DC, on or near Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. A year after opening in DC, a location opened in Alexandria, VA. Additional locations–today known as “Corps”–were opened in Washington, DC, in the Shaw section of Northwest and Anacostia in Southeast. Today, The Salvation Army remains in these neighborhoods with the Sherman Avenue Corps in Northwest Washington and the Solomon G. Brown Corps Community Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE. Expansion areas in Suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia came about as the needs of the community grew; thereby creating a major metropolitan area. In 2006, the region became the National Capital Area Command and encompasses Washington, DC, the city of Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia; and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in
Maryland. Multi-cultural assistance is provided through the Landmark Korean Corps in Alexandria and the Arlington Hispanic Corps.
disabled, youth activities and holiday help. Every neighborhood Corps has worship space for spiritual nourishment providing church services across the region throughout the year.
Homelessness and Substance Abuse
Leadership
Early Salvation Army efforts to address chronic homelessness and unemployment led to the opening of the Industrial Home. There, men learned trades while performing tasks to help offset their meals and lodging. Eventually, the program transitioned into the Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC). The programs gained momentum with the opening of the Harbor Light Center in the early 1950s. Harbor Light provides comprehensive services to men and women fighting substance abuse and homelessness.
Women and Children Outreach
The Salvation Army has a commitment to provide housing to women and children dating back nearly 90 years. In 1921, the Evangeline Residence began offering low-cost room and boarding to working women. Several decades later, the Emergency Home opened to provide women with children a sanctuary while the mothers sought employment and a permanent place to live. This program evolved into two comprehensive transitional housing programs with 28 apartment units in Washington, DC, and a half dozen in Alexandria, VA.
Centers for Worship and Service
Most Salvation Army Corps offer emergency programs including food, clothing and rental assistance, help for the elderly and 2
Major Steve Morris is The Salvation Army National Capital Area Commander, and his wife, Major Wendy Morris, is the Coordinator of Women’s Ministries.
Planned Giving
Your continuing interest and support maybe expressed by remembering The Salvation Army in your will or through a variety of other planned gift opportunities. For information and advice, consult your attorney or call 1-800-814-3150.
Connect
The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command is connected to the community online at www.SalArmyDC.org, and through social networking, keyword SalArmyDC on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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A Letter from Your Area Commander Veronica J., Leondus W. and David W.—three individuals whose stories are told here—have each experienced personal tragedies, be they homelessness, drug or alcohol addiction or personal defeat. They, like many others in need of a life preserver, walked through the doors of The Salvation Army in need of help, possibly as a last resort. As The Salvation Army helps these individuals through personal experiences, it continues to prepare for future natural disasters and tragedies that call for outreach and support. Through earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and other untimely events, The Salvation Army helps victims, families and first responders through these experiences, which give us reason to pause and be thankful for our own safety. While the faces of the people we meet and serve each day often reflect an overwhelming sense of hopelessness and worry, modesty rings clear in each voice. Many are emotionally, mentally and spiritually broken; others are on the brink of a financial catastrophe brought on by an uncertain economy. When they ask for our help, their need is dire. Personal tragedies with harsh consequences affect more people much closer to home. Lost work and wages through closures, downsizing or layoffs have our families, friends and neighbors seeking The Salvation Army’s help for the very first time. Whether it’s receiving aid from the Grate Patrol, youth programs, transitional housing or participating in the Angel
Tree program, The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command, which includes Washington, DC, Maryland suburbs and Northern Virginia, serves as the anchor for the many families and individuals in need. In 2009, The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command received more than 8,000 first-time requests for assistance, representing more than 20,320 people. In addition, parents sought emergency holiday assistance for their children in the hopes that they would have a good Christmas. And we work to continue that service to the community. In our prayers, we ask God to help the people affected by natural tragedies, financial difficulties and personal challenges. We pray for a better tomorrow through our hope for today. One thing is for sure: The value of The Salvation Army in the community is increasing. As the need for assistance grows, so does the need for financial resources. Thankfully, the people we serve each year will never know how much worse their lives would be without The Salvation Army in their community. For more than 129 years The Salvation Army has been a trustworthy steward of your generosity. Throughout these pages, we will introduce you to a few remarkable people. They are single mothers with kids learning to believe in themselves, men now on the road to recovery from addiction and volunteer representatives whose selfless 3
devotion to those in need not only improve the lives of others, but also help them reflect on their own lives, challenges and accomplishments that keep them going day to day. Thank you for supporting The Salvation Army as we continue Doing the Most Good in the National Capital Area. May God continue to do great things in your life and bless your life abundantly. Sincerely,
Major Steve Morris, Area Commander The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command
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Transitional Housing Turning Points and Transitions
Take a look around the National Capital Area, in any neighborhood or suburb, and it’s clear that the walk from despair, poverty and fear to security and happiness can be a very short one. The challenge for many, however, is that they can’t see the security that might lie around the corner while struggling with their own families, finances and overall well-being. Just two years ago, Veronica J. was searching for herself and her family. She had sought assistance before, but emotions and circumstances got in the way. In 2008, however, it changed when she entered The Salvation Army’s Transitional Housing for Women and Children Program in Alexandria, VA. The Transitional Housing Program is designed to specifically
“break the cycle of chronic homelessness and joblessness for single mothers and their children.” Veronica fit the bill to a T when she arrived as a single mother of three. “It’s basically given me another chance,” she says as she sits in the bright living room of her transitional housing unit in Alexandria. “I came from a shelter, and once I got here, I really didn’t have anything.” She entered the program, had no diploma, no home and little hope for her and her children. But in a very short time she’s turned that around. “Right now I have my GED—I got that in August of last year—and I just graduated from a clerical training program,” she says. “It has really helped me; it helped me as far as saving money and how to basically believe in myself.” Shelley H., a social services department intern with Alexandria’s Transitional Housing Program works closely with Veronica and others to ensure they stay on track with their progress, continually fostering that hope and belief, which has its challenges but also ultimate rewards. Working with all of the ladies in the Transitional Housing Program, Shelley assists with case management for two of them, helping them determine and ultimately achieve their goals. In 4
addition, she conducts individual counseling with three others in the program. They also conduct group counseling sessions once a week as well as home inspections for women in the program, teaching them to ensure they maintain a healthy household. The program serves as a lifeboat for many working toward independence, particularly with other challenges and influences that can make it difficult for anyone trying to turn her life around—and that of her children.
I’ve built this relationship with them, and so I kind of feel like part of their family.
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The residents get involved as well. For Veronica, simply moving into housing and getting her GED were just the beginning.
Veronica says the program has rules, but in working with The Salvation Army, she also realizes that the program allows her to grow, do things she needs to do and many things she wants to do. Above all, she insists that individuals who need help just go through the program. They need to understand they are not alone, and that many others out there understand their problems and can help.
Shelley H.
“I came in as a resident, but throughout my stay here I’ve done so much I can’t even think,” she says. Each Tuesday she works in The Salvation Army Youth Program in Alexandria that her son attends, cooking dinner for the children—something she said she really hadn’t done before entering the program. In the summer she works with a vacation Bible school. The life skills Veronica is learning are crucial.
Shelley mentioned it has been a struggle at times, as some women have had medical issues before entering the program. But it’s such situations that truly bring workers within the program and the mothers looking for a difference together to form a common approach to improving lives. “I was surprised about how involved you get with their lives and the things that we partner with them for,” Shelley says. “I’ve built this relationship with them, and so I kind of feel like part of their family.”
“It has really taught me a lot as far as taking care of my children,” she says. “The meetings with the counselors and the case managers are really healthy, because sometimes I just need someone to talk to—and I know that I can go to them.” Veronica admits that she might not go to a counselor right away, but every time she starts talking, she finds out she needs to talk to them some more. Ultimately, she says the entire process has helped her understand she can do anything. “The goal of the program once Veronica leaves here is to find an apartment for her and her children,” Shelley adds. “By then she’ll have a job—and she’s looking right now—and she’ll be self-supporting.” 5
“All you have to do is do what you’re supposed to do,” Veronica says. “It’s a whole lot that I’m trying to keep in my past. Today, I’m proud of myself because I’ve accomplished things that I kept putting off.”
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Emergency Assistance Enduring Missions
While any individual can catch a glimpse of The Salvation Army throughout the year, its enduring presence year round is crucial for those who directly benefit from or need the outreach and support.
As the family is the core unit of a society through the eyes of The Salvation Army, meeting even those basic needs provides a foundation on which a family can sustain itself through tough times.
This particularly rings true for The Salvation Army’s Emergency Assistance Program, which provides support for families and individuals throughout the year in the National Capital Area.
In the National Capital Area this takes many forms, as many struggle to provide human basic needs for their families. Others must overcome language barriers, employment concerns and even face the prospect of losing everything else simply to stay in their homes.
These aren’t extravagances, nor are they just tied to one specific time during the year. Emergency Assistance goes directly to families when they need it. In the National Capital Area Command, this means assistance for nearly 150,000 people.
At the Fairfax Corps, in Fairfax, VA, for example, Emergency Assistance is an ongoing process, with families walking into the Fairfax Corps office requiring assistance for rent, heating and electricity, as well as for furniture vouchers, clothing vouchers and food. Although situated in a more suburban setting than other National Capital Area Command offices, it doesn’t mean the needs of the community are any more limited. Judy M., the Social Services Director at the Fairfax Corps, has seen it all. “I was born and raised in The Army,” she says. “My mom was a Salvationist.” Having worked for The Army now for 42 years, she came to the Fairfax Corps in 1991 as a Christian Education Director. She 6
then transitioned to her current position in 1995. “The one thing I’m seeing now more than anything is my case load has almost tripled,” Judy says. “It’s not like your people that abuse the system, so to speak … it’s your working people who are out there struggling, and they may have two paychecks, but they can’t make ends meet because things are so expensive in this area.” During the holidays, she says she’s seen an increase in need
The Salvation Army brings together and ultimately recognizes God’s power at work.
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community’s needs as well. One particular program is Fairfax Corps’ annual “tools for school” program to help children get the school supplies they need for the coming school year.
As he and his wife are co-pastors at The Salvation Army Fairfax Corps, he understands the power of family and faith working together to really make meaningful differences in the lives that The Salvation Army touches on a day-to-day basis.
David M.
“A few years ago—it was in the summer months—and I kept getting requests for school supplies,” Judy says. “We started at 200 and the thing just kept growing until we were up to about 1,000 families, which is getting near what we do at Christmas.” While counseling families on coping with lower incomes and finding ways to stretch their dollar, she says one of the biggest problems for individuals is proper budgeting. “They have a certain amount of money and they don’t know how to budget, and then again, it is so expensive,” she says. “And they don’t make enough to really meet their needs.”
as well, with hours being cut back for working families. She’s also seen an increase in senior citizens who need help as their financial needs continue to grow. “They will sit here and tell you, ‘I have to decide, am I going to pay for either my rent, my medicine or my utility bill or food? I have to make a decision because I don’t have enough income to do these responsibilities,’” she says. “It’s heartbreaking.” But there are some more positive aspects to filling the
Amid a lot of these challenges, Judy says that it’s sometimes easy to be judgmental, but she says these situations help her keep things in perspective and be more patient. Captain David May, who along with his wife Dolores are the officers appointed to the Fairfax Corps, agrees. “Sometimes you’re reminded of the number of needs and issues that are in our community, really how powerless I am to do much about them,” he says. “However, realizing the power of many folks working together, The Salvation Army brings together and ultimately recognizes God’s power at work.” 7
Judy takes that understanding and constantly applies it to the work and support she has given for nearly half a century to the organization, as well as to the thousands of lives she’s touched over the years. “I firmly believe God’s entrusted us into this money,” she says. “We need to be good stewards.”
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New Millennium of Support
Throughout the days, weeks and months following Katrina’s savage destruction to the U.S. Gulf Coast, The Salvation Army donated $382 million and helped 3.3 million people, many of whom received some of the 5.6 million meals served throughout the crisis.
2000 December 26
2004
Indian Ocean Tsunami With The Salvation Army already in the region when an Indian Ocean earthquake triggered catastrophic tsunamis, disaster relief began within a matter of hours. In addition to restoration and longterm recovery efforts, The Army donated $43 million in aid and helped 250,000 people in need.
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August 23
Hurricane Katrina
September 11
The Salvation Army arrived 30 minutes after the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center, making it the first relief agency to reach Ground Zero. An army of mobile canteens, counselors and volunteers deployed for more than nine months, providing meals, beverages and spiritual and emotional counseling to responders. In total, The Army served 3.2 million meals, while donors contributed $90 million to The Salvation Army for 9/11 relief efforts. Locally, over $7 million was provided in direct social service aid to Pentagon survivors and their families, in addition to serving meals and drinks, and counseling relief workers.
2001
9/11 Attacks
2005
Enduring and Adapting Through History
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The Salvation Army assisted emergency responders and the Virginia Tech community by providing 3,856 meals using two mobile feeding units in the hours and days that followed mass shooting on the Virginia Tech campus. Members of the National Capital Area Command were sent to the school where they helped meet the spiritual and mental health needs of the people affected by this event.
April
Virginia Tech
2007
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2010 Hurricane Rita
2009
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September 23
2005
DC Metro Collision
The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN), a network of information-relaying radio operators, was activated once Rita made landfall. SATERN helped connect families who were separated by the hurricane. The Army provided thousands of meals, shower units, first aid, drinking water and counseling to meet the needs of Rita’s victims. 9
The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command Disaster Response Team responded rapidly to the scene of the deadly local commuter train accident on June 22. During The Salvation Army’s response, first responders received more than 200 nutritious meals and more than 400 hot and cold drinks, including water.
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Volunteers Exercises In Self-Reflection
Visit a mall or store during the holiday season and you might hear the familiar bell and see The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle. On any given evening, you might spot The Salvation Army’s Grate Patrol delivering meals to the more than 3,000 homeless individuals it serves each month in Washington, DC. Or during Christmas season you might wonder how The Salvation Army can provide so many gifts through its Angel Tree Program.
Two volunteers have discovered, however, that it’s not only the degree to which The Salvation Army is able to help those in need; it’s their realization that volunteer work is a combination of giving and self-reflection, which allows them to help others while appreciating, improving and reflecting on their own blessings and circumstances.
Support for all of these programs—and many others—doesn’t happen without the help of literally hundreds of selfless volunteers throughout the year in the Washington, DC, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia areas.
Kalsoom L., director of philanthropy of a local company that supports The Salvation Army, became involved because her company funds the Washington, DC, Grate Patrol Program. In addition, she has participated in Salvation Army programs as far away as her home country of Pakistan, which have provided a multi-layer perspective of The Army’s work.
Grate Patrol
“The Salvation Army people are local Pakistani Christians, mostly Christians that actually live in the slums with the community,” she says. “There’s a real sense of being part of the community they’re helping.” Formerly in the defense industry, Kalsoom says her master’s degree in conflict resolution made work with The Salvation Army more fitting. And her international perspective has provided a unique vantage point from which to view volunteerism and the different purposes of the organization, as local circumstances often shape The Army’s support. While much of The Salvation Army’s work she’s witnessed in Pakistan centers on targeted strategic development, the work 10
with the Grate Patrol, she says, is more focused on providing services to support those in need. “A lot of times you’ll walk by a homeless guy and he’ll be asking for money, and you won’t really think about it,” she says about her experiences in DC. “But then when you actually have conversations with these people, you realize the situations of how they got onto the street, how they’re really trying to get back on their feet and how The Salvation Army really does help facilitate that.”
It really has strengthened my faith and helped me realize you can’t judge people.
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Elaine G.
working with the annual Angel Tree Program, she has also lent her services to volunteer days at the office and other ventures throughout the organization. She came to volunteer possibly in search of something for herself. What she found was a calling that includes her family and those in need as well as a closer relationship to everyone around her. In 1987, she says she had to retire on disability, and she admits she was in a “feeling sorry for myself ” period. It was a time of reflection, which led her to The Army.
From Grates to Gifts
After family encouragement, she volunteered for an hour with the Angel Tree Program. The next year she spent a couple of hours. She started working more and more with the program, and now she starts working in September each year as the program moves forward through the holidays. After Thanksgiving, it’s often a daily task, on through the end of the holiday season, as she now helps coordinate the entire program.
As the Grate Patrol hits the streets 365 days a year, other projects have evolved in the experiences of another volunteer, who finds herself contributing more and more each year. The entire process has served as an instrument to further not only her dedication to The Salvation Army, but also that of her family and faith.
“It’s really rewarding, especially for a grandmother, because they are taking care of their little ones,” she says. “I don’t like to wear it on my sleeve, but it’s something that I enjoy doing.”
Elaine G. has spent more than 20 years volunteering with The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command. Primarily
Like Kalsoom, it has given her a new perspective on her own relationships, experiences and approach to the future.
The Salvation Army has given her a new lease on life, just as she gives a new lease to others.
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“It really has strengthened my faith and helped me realize you can’t judge people,” she says. “We can’t judge; we don’t know what’s going on in their households, so you give it all to faith.” As a result, her volunteerism has taken her closer to her church as well, working with a food pantry project and a hospice group. “I feel that this is my way of trying to give back, and as bad as it seemed at the time that I started—because I had to retire early—I felt that my life is not that bad after all,” she says.“I just feel blessed and give it back to the community.”
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Alcohol & Drug Reflections of Recovery
The Salvation Army’s Harbor Light Center sits in Northeast Washington, DC, with nearly 140 beds, an abundance of volunteers and, in particular, program participants who now serve as positive examples for others. It’s a place that turns shadows of drug and alcohol addiction into smiles that many have never known. “You’ve got to have desire for something,” says Leondus W., a former addict. Originally from West Virginia, he arrived at Harbor Light to regain control of his life on Nov. 23, 2007. “I went through six months of treatment, and I went through an 18-month transition here in this building,” he says. “There
were a lot of myths I had heard about The Salvation Army; when I took that class and they explained a lot of things to me about what The Salvation Army is—first of all it was a church—that’s when I decided to become a Salvationist.” His transformation throughout the program was a multilayered examination of himself, and he admits that desire must be the driving force behind anyone seeking recovery. It’s a comprehensive reflection of life. For example, even those needing help can appear to lead normal lives. Leondus actually held down two jobs when he arrived, but he was still an addict. “In my case, it was some things in my childhood that I had never talked about, and as soon as I talked to my counselor upstairs, I felt a whole weight just come off my shoulders,” he says. “Oh man, it freed me to be able to receive what they had to give.” This is crucial when determining a recovery course. “You have to be able to come here to be able to receive something,” Leondus says. “You can’t come in with your mind closed.” A reflection of the program’s success is evident in the number of employees and volunteers such as Leondus, who are walking and talking examples of the program’s success. “They’ve been clean, drug free, and they have a relationship 12
with God,” he adds. “And that was the most important thing— the relationship with God.” That relationship is also a trigger for success. Over the sixmonth treatment program, about 60 percent who enter complete it. But the completion rate climbs to 90 percent for those who choose the optional religious component. For Leondus this includes participation in the ministry at Harbor Light, teaching Sunday school and directing the choir.
It restored things in my life—my relationship with my family and most of all my relationship with God.
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“When I made a conscious decision to get myself together, it was just a coincidence that Harbor Light came and picked me up again from the jail,” he says. “I came this time really wanting to just get myself together, so I really used the tools; I listened in the groups.”
David says. “If I see someone who has the same characteristics that I had—like the mouthing off or just not wanting to be a part of this—the better that I become at this and the more I can help.”
Leondus W.
Like Leondus, he realized he needed to look within himself to get his life turned around. He has now been in the program a year, and with his singing, dancing and theatrical talents, he has an outlet for a side of him that was hidden by his own problems before he arrived. “A person like me, I came from the streets; I didn’t care about getting clean or nothing like that,” he says. “I came in and they just made me think about some things—they didn’t rush me; they didn’t push, they just let me take my own time and get into myself, so I could think.”
acceptance and attitudes
One of the strengths of his experiences is working with those who are just entering the program.
For David W., another program participant, the choir is an anchor to which he has been able to cling, and it has led to his growth through recovery at Harbor Light. It’s a path he’s been down before, but the conditions and circumstances are a bit different this time.
It’s a process now where he sees himself in others who walk through the doors at Harbor Light. But now he has the opportunity to look at it from another perspective—one that is clean.
It’s his second time in the program. The first time he says recovery was his family’s decision, and he didn’t see he had a problem. This time, it’s his decision.
“They used to call me the Johnny Cochran of treatment because I was always like the spokesperson—I was just fighting against the program every time I thought something wasn’t right,” 13
It’s self-reflection that has put a smile on David’s face, but with the realization that he has to take it day by day. It’s a process that Leondus continually goes through as well. “It restored things in my life—my relationship with my family and most of all my relationship with God,” he says.“It’s a church first, and we can’t ever forget that.”
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Financial Highlights Fiscal Year Ending 9/30/2009
Expenses
Revenue
Revenue *in dollars
Fiscal Year Ended 9/30/2009
Fiscal Year Ended 9/30/2009
Direct contributions 13,365,927 Federated fundraising organizations 171,948 Legacies & bequests 4,739,679 Special events 79,482 Program service fees 162,054 Investment income 961,378 Fees & grants from governmental agencies 5,235,571 Miscellaneous 30,888 Total Revenue 24,746,927
Expenses *in dollars Program Services Community Center Services Residential and Institutional Services Day Care Other Social Services Total Program Services
5,081,096 4,602,536 163,383 7,950,251 17,797,266
Supporting Services Management and General Fundraising Total Supporting Services Total Expenses
1,688,499 3,540,369 5,228,868 23,026,134
Direct contributions 13,365,927
Program service fees 162,054
Other Social Services 7,950,251
Community Center Services 5,081,096
Federated fundraising organizations 171,948 Legacies & bequests 4,739,679
Investment income 961,378
Fundraising 3,540,369
Residential and Institutional Services 4,602,536
Management and General 1,688,499
Day Care 163,383
Special events 79,482
Fees & grants from government agencies 5,235,571 Miscellaneous 30,888 14
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national capital area command statistics Administrative
Housing services
Emergency services
Emergency Assistance Services
22 11 149 107
Number of officers Number of corps & facilities Number of employees - Area Command Number of advisory board members
10,607 25,597 83,199
Total cases served first time Total persons served first time Total unduplicated persons served basic social service assistance
3,436 46,917
Cases receiving case management Interview sessions with individuals
139,568 93,076 32,645 34,290 5,381 1,648 1,172 1,093 321
Meals provided Clothing items distributed Persons given a meal - Grate Patrol Homeless Program & Fairfax Canteen Grocery orders provided Persons transported Medical orders provided Emergency eviction prevention (rental assistance) Personal comfort kits provided Metro cards/Metrobus tokens
40,215 Nights of shelter provided at Salvation Army facilities Turning Point, Harbor Light Center & Alexandria Transitional Housing 1,995 Cases receiving counseling - shelter services only 2,551 Washington Area Fuel Fund (WAFF) requests filled 4,209 Total energy assistance orders filled including WAFF
washington area fuel fund (waff) *in dollars
348 Average WAFF assistance provided per household 888,700 Total dollars provided in fiscal 2009 by Washington Gas 19,500,000 Total dollars donated/dispersed by WAFF since 1984
Holiday Assistance: Angel Tree Program 13,838 6,364 45,000 2,568
Children provided holiday assistance Families provided holiday assistance Toys distributed Households receiving senior holiday assistance
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Volunteer & Visitation 25,975 90,508 895
camp 360
2,268 7,102
Volunteers (Area Command) Hours donated by volunteers (Area Command) Visitations to area nursing homes and hospitals Children attended Camp Happyland (Richardsville, VA) Vacation Bible School attendees (Area Command) Day Camp attendees (Area Command)
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Youth Programs Hope for the Future
On Tuesday nights, Veronica J., who is currently participating in Alexandria’s Transitional Housing Program for Women and Children, also devotes her time, effort and cooking skills to the National Capital Area Command’s Youth Programs. It’s a time for Veronica to prepare meals for the children and also to connect with young people to ensure they stay on the right path.
their little games and stuff, but I enjoy feeding them, and they respect me.”
“A couple of weeks ago, one of the little girls, she was kind of scared because another little girl threatened her, so I just pulled her aside and I just talked to her,” says Veronica, whose son Lamont also participates in Youth Programs. “I don’t do
Captain Kenneth Argot, an officer with The Salvation Army Alexandria Corps, notes: “It’s similar in nature to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, but with an emphasis on God,” he says about the Tuesday Character Building club.
Even if it’s a simple source of security—an adult showing leadership or comforting a child—it’s a powerful component of Salvation Army Youth Programs, which provide comprehensive guidance to children all over the region.
While children can even earn badges in the program, he says the program is evolving. They want to ensure the curriculum translates and is relevant for children in the city and their surrounding environments. At no cost to parents, the program works on character building and providing recreation for the children in a safe setting.
Students can learn everything from brass instruments to piano, percussion and guitar. Others can take dance lessons.
But that’s only part of Youth Programs. On Wednesday and Thursday nights, The Salvation Army Alexandria Corps lets its hair down with a School for Performing Arts.
The third youth program is Corps Cadets, a spiritually-natured youth leadership program designed to develop future leaders for The Salvation Army.
“It’s $60 for a nine-week term, but we offer scholarships,” Captain Argot says. “And the lessons are taught by volunteers as well as staff.”
In Alexandria, they currently have eight Corps Cadets, with more than 30 children participating in the Tuesday night Character Building Club and 25 in the performing arts school.
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It’s similar in nature to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, but with an emphasis on God.
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in order to get on the bus, because we would just have kids and no idea who they are.”
but it’s also necessary to maintain the safety and security for the children and reassurance for families.
This appeal, however, is a testament to The Salvation Army’s reputation and history, and it’s something that officials are not about to squander or take for granted.
Overall, it’s a matter of reputation and execution when it comes to the children, and it’s something that The Salvation Army has perfected over more than 100 years. With the challenges and adversity many families face, Youth Programs provide a safe haven and education that many children need day-to-day.
Captain Kenneth Argot
As a result, The Salvation Army recently began the Safe From Harm program, a new initiative designed to provide an additional layer of security to the children and reassurance to families that their children are in good hands. “We want to be people of integrity,” Captain Argot says. “There’s training that all volunteers who work with kids have to go through, and there’s policies, procedures and guidelines that make sure that there’s never a kid alone with an adult. So there’s no way of anything inappropriate happening.”
Safe and secure
If anything, The Salvation Army represents a sanctuary for children in often high-risk neighborhoods across the country, and it’s no different in Alexandria. Captain Argot says they have targeted a couple of low-income neighborhoods in the area and have spoken to parents about the benefits and support The Salvation Army can provide. “When we take the bus to pick kids up, kids come from everywhere,” he says. “We’ve actually had to go to the point where children have to have a permission slip registration form
On top of that—in Character Building sessions or even through performing arts school—the other constant that parents and families can be sure of is discipline. “I have them for only two hours,” Captain Argot says. “I just can’t even imagine the stress of teachers in school, of what they go through with the short attention spans, kids just wanting to act up because they’re kids and then how quickly it can escalate into something different.” It’s something Captain Argot says can be challenging at times, 17
“There’s a big trust factor with us,” Captain Argot says. “We’re the only free game in town as well. It’s just an interesting dynamic.”
6th Find
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Disaster Services Faces of First Response
After terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, The Salvation Army was the first relief agency to reach Ground Zero—arriving within 30 minutes of the first plane crash into the north tower. The Army stayed on site for the next nine months, providing physical and spiritual sustenance to victims and rescue workers.
you do this?’ Then they will educate you and make you equipped to do it,” explains Lavis, who also assisted in the aftermath of Hurricanes Isabel and Katrina.“I have been called on to do a lot through the ministry of Disaster Services. Whatever you can do to help, that’s what you do.”
At the same time in Washington, DC, the area was recovering from the attack on the Pentagon. Lavis B. was among the volunteers who helped at the Pentagon crash site. Although an electrician by trade, Lavis is a food services technician for The Salvation Army.
Commonly one of the first responders on any disaster scene, providing food, shelter, clothing and spiritual comfort to victims and rescue workers, The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services fulfills The Army’s primary purpose of expressing God’s love to those in need.
“One of the things The Salvation Army does is call and say, ‘Can
Basic Human Needs
“A large part of what we do in a lot of disaster services is provide food and water for utility workers and others coming in and working around the clock,” Lavis says. Through its mobile feeding efforts, The Salvation Army served more than 3 million meals to rescue workers at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks and served 5.6 million meals after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. When homes are destroyed by natural disasters, The Salvation Army also may provide temporary housing as well as child care, allowing adults to take care of such chores as finding long-term housing for the family. During cleanup efforts, The Army distributes supplies such as mops, brooms, buckets, shovels, detergents and tarps, while 18
volunteers participate directly. In catastrophic circumstances, The Army can also assist with reconstruction efforts, acting as a conduit for collecting and distributing donated building supplies. As financial needs often become crucial in a disaster aftermath, The Army may provide financial grants to victims who demonstrate immediate physical needs, without expectation or requirement that they are repaid. The Army also may provide other basic commodities such as
I’ve been called on to do a lot. Whatever you can do to help, that’s what you do.
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Lavis B.
Advanced Coordination
As was discovered after 9/11 and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, much of the relief, assistance and execution hinges on communication efforts—not only among authorities but between them and the most remote and desperate victims. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) serves as a cornerstone to enhanced contact, providing backup communications when telephone lines are down. SATERN allows transmission of the most crucial information in the wake of a disaster—particularly the whereabouts of loved ones. Additionally, The Salvation Army logs victim identities to efficiently locate and communicate information to inquiring families and friends.
Recovery and Readiness
diapers, medicines and personal hygiene products as well as donated goods, such as furniture, clothes and household items. In fact, donations in the wake of Hurricane Katrina totaled $382 million and helped 3.3 million people. “In New Orleans, where I spent two weeks after Hurricane Katrina, The Salvation Army set up a compound that people came through as a central source,” Lavis says. “During Disaster Services, we assist people in locating homes, getting vouchers, etc.”
Depending on the magnitude of a disaster, assistance efforts can continue long after the initial event or disaster. After Hurricane Katrina, The Army provided not only immediate response services, but helped with long-term restoration and rebuilding. This readiness posture requires intricate coordination to ensure the people and equipment are there when a disaster strikes. As a result, The Army maintains a fleet of emergency vehicles and mobile canteens ready to immediately dispatch food, water and medical supplies to a disaster site. It also constantly recruits and trains volunteers, such as Lavis, prepared to assist when called and maintains a roster of social 19
workers and other human services professionals assigned to help disaster victims access private and public assistance programs. It’s the primary purpose of providing spiritual and emotional care to those in need that drew Lavis to volunteer his time. “I’m a Christian, and I believe in serving my fellow man,” he says. He chooses to minister through The Salvation Army because “they’re not just a service provider, not just a thrift shop; they are a church. They are my church. The thing that fascinated me about being affiliated with The Salvation Army is the services they provide across the world. I love being part of it.”
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Area Command Locations Area Command Business Offices 2626 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20037 202-756-2600 - phone 202-756-2660 - fax Social Services District Social Services: Emergency Assistance, Turning Point, Grate Patrol 1434 Harvard Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 332-5000 District Corps Harbor Light Corps 2100 New York Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 269-6333 Sherman Avenue Corps 3335 Sherman Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20010 (202) 829-0100 Solomon G. Brown Corps Community Center 2300 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20020 (202) 678-9770
Maryland Corps Montgomery County Corps 20021 Aircraft Drive Germantown, MD 20874 (301) 515-5354
Landmark Korean Corps 6005 Tower Court Alexandria, VA 22304 (703) 370-9544
Washington, DC Montgomery County, MD
Prince William Corps 4343-A Ridgewood Center Drive Woodbridge, VA 22192 (703) 580-8991
Prince George’s County Corps 4825 Edmonston Road Hyattsville, MD 20781 (301) 277-6103
Prince George’s County, MD
Camp Camp Happyland (ACA) 21457 Happyland Drive Richardsville, VA 22736 (540) 399-1197
Virginia Corps Alexandria Corps 1804 Mount Vernon Avenue Alexandria, VA 22301 (703) 836-2427 Arlington Corps & Arlington Hispanic Corps 518 South Glebe Road Arlington, VA 22204 (703) 979-3380 Fairfax Corps 4915 Ox Road Fairfax, VA 22030 (703) 385-8700
Arlington, VA Prince William, VA 20
Fairfax, VA
Alexandria, VA
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The Salvation Army National Capital Area Command Advisory Boards Washington, DC Sherman Avenue Corps Solomon G. Brown Corps Community Center Robert Betz, PhD – Chairman James A. ‘Jay’ Parker – Immediate Past Chairman Catherine Porter – Secretary & Treasurer William Bodie – Chair-Elect Toni Aluisi Maxmillian Angerholzer, III Carol Bee Stephen Bull Richard Carr Christopher Chapin Josephine Cooper Dwight Crawford Bob Davis John Derrick Maureen Dwyer Colden Florance Joseph Giuliani Thomas Gorman Yvonne Herndon Steven Hilton Kimberly Turner Charles Nicolson Richard Norman
DeVera Redmond Bert Rein Joseph Reiss C. Jackson Ritchie, Jr. Frederick Robinson Max Salas Creighton Schneck Cicely Simpson Catherine Thompson Sherry Turner Christopher Whyman John Wood William Yowell, Jr. Ex-Officio Members Ursula Spell Frances Cronin Alexandria Citadel Corps Landmark Korean Corps Fred Brink – Chairman Trisha Miller – Vice Chairman Margaret ‘Mitzi’ Moore – Secretary Linda Holliman – Treasurer Theo Androus Van Hipp Marjorie Kicak
David Lacey Thomas C. Roberts Peter T. Straub George Hatzes, Life Member Lewis Stearman, Life Member Arlington Corps & Arlington Hispanic Corps Larry Suiters – Chairman Tom Kamstra – Property Chairman David Bell Mark Bertram Nadine Clift Bankhead Davies Kent Hamaker John L. Melnick Joan Stanley William Stover T.W. Wallace Fairfax Corps David Melugin – Chairman Barry Bateman – Secretary Walter ‘Sandy’ Winans – Treasurer William Parrish – Member Emeritus
William Soza – Member Emeritus
Montgomery County Corps Susan Myers – Chairman
James Swinson – Life Member Robert Lindholm – Life Member
Al Blocker Donna Hollingshead Jan Chapman Leslie Titcomb Lily Milliner Dennis Queen Sherry Turner
Karol Anderson Gary Brown Barry Goodman Russ Horner William Howlett Mick Kicklighter Roger McClure Jennifer Mendez Pam Montano Charles Moore, Jr. Arthur Reynolds, Jr., MD William Schmidt Keith Segerson Robert Sisson G.T. Ward Jean White Ex-Officio Members Clara Richcreek Evelyn Sears Major Mike Vincent
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Prince George’s County Corps Ronald Rhine – Chairman Carlton Green – Secretary Jack Long, IV – Treasurer Henry T. Arrington Benjamin Brown W. Dickerson Charlton Roland Cumberland Robert S. Hoyert Ray Keir Joseph Meadow Steven B. McCartin Jack Long, Jr. Fred W. Maier Hervey Machen III T.E. Norris Nile Webb
Prince William Corps Bruce Potter – Chairman Bruce Wasz – Vice Chairman Jo Ann Bell Sharon Wasz Julie Weatherington Col. Ulysses X. White (Retired)
2626 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Washington, DC 20037 • p. 202.756.2600 • f. 202.464.7208 • www.salarmydc.org