The Salvation Army Prince George - 95 Years of Service And counting!

The Salvation Army
  Prince George

                     95 Years of Service …
                        And counting!

The Salvation Army Worldwide
• Began in 1865 in London, England by William and Catherine Booth
• Our heritage is steeped in Methodist tradition and theology
• Began in Canada (London, Ontario) in 1882
• Became incorporated in Canada by special act of Parliament in May of 1909
• Our legal standing is known as The Governing Council of The Salvation Army in Canada
• Part of the fabric of 127 countries worldwide
• Organized on a quasi-military structure (pastors are called, “officers” and congregants
  are referred as, “soldiers”)
• Governance is similar to the political structure of Canada: the local ministry is like the
  municipal government (providing front-line services to the local community); the
  regional (Division) ministry is like the provincial government (providing direction and
  support to the Division); the national (Territorial) ministry is like the federal government
  (sets policy and manages national affairs).

The Salvation Army Worldwide
• Our international mission:

  “The Salvation Army is an international Christian church. Its message is based on the
  Bible; its ministry is motivated by love for God and the needs of humanity.

  “The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and
  be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.”

• As the local expression of The Salvation Army, we embody this mission and mandate

TSA Prince George - Historically
• Began ministry in 1920
• Historical expression of our mission in the community:

      Harbourlight – a residential facility providing support and care for individuals
                     struggling to overcome addiction.
      Family Services – offering spiritual care and practical support for individuals and
                        families with clothing, basic care, essential furnishings, guidance
                        and encouragement.
      Food Bank – the registered food bank with Foods Banks Canada providing
                   supportive assistance for individuals and families as a food source.
      Hot Meals Program – preparing hot meals and friendly support for the most
                             vulnerable members of our community.
      Christmas Assistance – our annual Christmas Hamper program
      Emergency Disaster Services – support for individuals, families and the community
                                      in times of peril.

TSA Prince George - Historically
•   We value partnerships within the community
•   We are brokers of the goodwill of the community
•   We seek to meet unmet needs
•   We are not competitive
•   Our programs and services morph, flex and change with the needs of the community
•   Our mandate does not change

• We deeply desire to assist in building community capacity

TSA Prince George - Today
Food Bank

• Registered as the official food bank for Prince George with Food Banks Canada
• Currently serving 1638 active cases
• Current service load:
    October (2014):        1,374 visits    38 new cases added
    November (2014): 1,367 visits          75 new cases added
    December (2014): 1,399 visits          82 new cases added
    January (2015):        1,461 visits    66 new cases added
    As of February 20: 1,172 visits        67 new cases added
• Our mission is to serve suffering humanity
• Our goal is to journey with people through their hour of need
• Build on the capacity within people to influence change

• Northern distribution hub for Food Banks Canada

TSA Prince George - Today
Emergency Disaster Services

• Certified through both The Salvation Army International Disaster Services and
  Emergency Management British Columbia
• Current equipment compliment:
     Headquarters at 3500 18th Avenue (secondary HQ at 777 Ospika Blvd S)
     Crisis Response Unit (CRU) – field response unit to support evacuees and
                                   response crew
     Crisis Response Trailer (CRT) – field response unit to support the CRU, house EDS
                                     crew, mobile command center, field response for
                                     emotional and spiritual care
• Present during the Victoria Tower fire
• Present during the Lakeland Mill fire
• Present for the flood response in Calgary and High River Alberta
• Present during the Burns Lake fire

• Service district: Burns Lake to Valemont, 100 Mile House to Pine Pass
• Part of The Salvation Army National Disaster Services response

TSA Prince George - Today
Recycling

• We currently operate a Thrift Store which generates a surplus to support our Food Bank
• Product comes from the community through donations
• Only a portion of the donation is resalable, which generates vast quantities of potential
  waste
• The recycling program was birthed out of a need to deal with the surplus donations
• The recycling program includes:
     Textile recycling (clothing, shoes, fabrics, etc): 1.5 million pounds annually
     Metal Recycling
     End of Life Electronics (TV, computer, vacuums, microwaves, etc)
     Light Recycling (bulbs, fixtures, etc)
• Sourcing for new recycling initiatives as they develop

TSA Prince George - Today
Community Care Ministries

•   Operation Hunger Relief (OHR) – Weekly street feeding program
•   Nursing home services – monthly spiritual care for care home residents
•   Sunshine bags – Christmas visits and gift for care homes and hospital
•   Ball Hockey
•   Hospital chaplaincy
•   Prison chaplaincy
•   Advisory board

• We endeavour to serve unmet needs.

TSA Prince George
Looking Forward

• Grand opening for the new Community Support Centre
     Friday, June 12, 2015
• Strengthen current partnerships within the community
• Develop new partnerships
• Continue to respond to evolving and new needs within the community

• Questions?