Students and staff from Crosby's International Barber College pose with U.S. Attorney Steve Winghoff at the Summit of Hope, held at the East St. Louis Salvation Army.

On Tuesday February 21, 2012, around 200 offenders on parole attended The Summit of Hope at The Salvation Army in East St. Louis. Special guest U.S. Attorney Steve Winghoff visited the event, which was special to him not only because it was held in his hometown, but also because it is a mission he is very passionate about.

“I was born and raised in East St. Louis,” said Winghoff, “Now I am the the top federal prosecutor presiding over Southern Illinois.”

He addressed the attendees, which spanned a wide spectrum of ages and races, with sincerity, “We sincerely want you to succeed. I don’t take any pleasure throwing people in prison day after day. We cannot keep this cycle going.”

Winghoff visited with all of the vendors at the event, and with many of the attendees, providing encouragement and gathering information about programs available to offenders upon release. Winghoff even stopped by a booth set up by Crosby’s International Barber School for a free haircut and to speak with the school about their barber school program.

“This event is a unique opportunity,” he said, “There are people here who want to see you find a job and take care of your family, and here is a wide variety of resources that I hope you will all take advantage of.”

A parolee waits his turn to go through and speak with service providers at Tuesday's Summit of Hope.

On Tuesday February 21, the St. Clair County Summit of Hope was held at the East St. Louis Salvation Army. The Summit provided nearly 200 parolees the opportunity to take advantage of services and resources to help them reintegrate into society following a stint in state or federal prison.

The event connected registered offenders with legal and medical services, educational and career opportunities, spiritual resources, tax assistance, mental health providers, substance abuse counseling, veterans counseling and even free haircuts. In total, 38 organizations participated in the event.

Volunteers escort a parolee through the process at Summit for Hope.

“I founded this summit in 2009,” said Paul Carlson, of the Illinois Department of Corrections, “With 37 years of law enforcement experience under my belt, I saw a lot of people coming to a fork in the road and choosing the wrong path, and I thought about how we could put them back on the right path – transforming them from individuals who rely on our tax dollars to be housed, into tax-paying citizens who can contribute.”

U.S. Attorney Steve Wittington, the top federal prosecutor presiding over Southern Illinois spent the morning at the event, visiting with parolees and those offering services – even stopping for a haircut by the students from Cosby’s Barber College. At the commencement of the day’s activities Mr. Wittington addressed the crowd, “We sincerely want you to succeed. I don’t take any pleasure throwing people in prison day after day. We cannot keep this cycle going, so we have presented you with an opportunity that we might not see you again – except perhaps as a productive citizen, in greeting, at your workplace.”

Raechelle Young, a Program Coordinator for Lutheran Social Services of Illinois underscored the importance of the event, “When you’re coming out of prison, you can’t get an I.D. without a birth certificate. You can’t get a birth certificate without an I.D. When you apply for a job and need to provide proof of identification, and you only have a prison I.D. card, there is a huge stigma that you have to overcome. Events like this help these individuals overcome these challenges, that may seem minor, but which are truly huge roadblocks in their success.”

Paul Carlson, founder of the event.

The mandatory event occurs throughout the state of Illinois throughout the year, with many of the events being held at Salvation Army locations. “The Summit is really just an idea. There is no board of directors or council to speak of. When there is a group or a town that steps up and says, ‘I want to help!’ I give them the formula and we make it happen in their community. I think it’s awesome when faith-based groups like The Salvation Army step up and generously offer to host these events. We come in, totally take over their location, eat their food, use their space and they’re just happy to support and give aid without complaint.”

Carlson said that because the program is relatively young, there is no official statistic just yet on its impact on parolee recidivism, “But I can tell you it’s working. We’re delivering hope that is sorely lacking in those days and weeks after a person re-enters society. We’re showing them that it’s possible. I personally see the good work this summit does every day.”

Volunteers assemble a basketball hoop at The Salvation Army's O'Fallon shelter.

The Salvation Army is doing BIG thing in the St. Louis area and we need your help! From providing shelter to the homeless, to tutoring children in after-school programs that keep them in school and off the streets, we work hard to continue DOING THE MOST GOOD every day, but because we work so diligently to use our resources wisely, we are dependent on the time and money donations of our volunteers and donors to carry out our mission.

Here are some ways we can put you to work in 2012:

• Do you have a gift for teaching or tutoring? Our shelters and corps community centers are always looking for tutors.
• Can you paint or draw? Come brighten up our youth spaces with your pictures!
• Are your gifts in the area of manual labor? We can use your talents in repairing facilities and maintaining our grounds.
• Are you a foodie who finds cooking therapeutic? We can put you to work in one of our kitchens – and our clients will be glad to enjoy your gourmet fare!
• Is fitness your passion? Our Gateway community center is looking for ongoing volunteers to host aerobics classes, or to teach sporting leagues.
• Are you professionally successful in your field and want to share your story with teens considering their career options?
• Are you an accountant? We can pair you with senior citizens to assist with taxes.
• Do you sing or play an instrument? We have several corps in need of musicians to play at worship services. We always need musicians

In short – whatever your gift may be, we can put you to work doing good in the St. Louis area – and we welcome your partnership. Reach out and let us put you to work doing good today!

The employees of Dunn and Miller, P.C. showing their proud support of The Salvation Army.

Mark Dunn and his law firm Dunn & Miller, P.C. hosted a drive over the holidays and into the New Year in support of The Salvation Army’s Family Haven shelter on Page Avenue in Saint Louis County. Dunn, an Advisory Board Member for The Salvation Army said he felt compelled to support the shelter because the work they do hits so close to home. “They’re one of the only – if not the only emergency shelter that caters to the needs of families in St. Louis County – right in our back yard.”

The Dunn family recruited friends, family members, classmates, church members and co-workers to gather coats, blankets, toys and more for the families staying at Family Haven. “We made our office a drop point for donations, and hope that in this effort we not only gathered a lot of really great and useful stuff for the residents at Family Haven, but that we also raised awareness of the importance of the work they do at Family Haven.”

The Dunn and Miller crew and their families rang the bell at kettles around town throughout the season and kept a kettle in their office where clients could donate. Mark, an attorney by trade, even got a local judge in Hillsboro to come out and ring the bell in support of The Salvation Army this year.

“We believe so strongly in the work of the army, and we do what we do so that our children, co-workers, family and friends can see what they do and lend their support as well,” said Dunn.

St. Louis, MO – With their annual Tree of Lights campaign wrapping up Tuesday night, The Salvation Army’s Midland Division, which serves Missouri and Southern Illinois is short of it’s fundraising goal by an estimated 20%. The Midland Division’s goal for their 2011-2012 Tree of Lights campaign was set at $6.5 million, a figure that represents funds needed to deliver needed social services to the St. Louis area.

Nationally, The Salvation Army raised $147.6 million through the 2011 Red Kettle Campaign, marking a new fundraising record for the campaign. The new record, a 3.4 percent increase from 2010, highlights the support of American donors who gave generously despite a continued slow economy. Donated funds remain in the communities they were donated, to serve the local population.

Local Salvation Army staff members continue to work toward achieving their goal in hopes of declaring similar success at the conclusion of their campaign, which began after Thanksgiving and included the traditional bellringers, and more than 25 local events.

In its 120th year, after beginning on the wharf in San Francisco in 1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has become a Christmas tradition that utilizes volunteers to ring bells at 25,000 red kettles across the country. In 2011, The Salvation Army expanded on the Campaign by incorporating new technologies at kettles and hosting national events to inspire giving.

In the eleventh hour, The Salvation Army’s local team is working to raise their additional capital utilizing social media, through a newly launched Twitter campaign (@SalArmySTL) in conjunction with Facebook, YouTube and their website.

“Technology is changing the way charities raise money. Whether through a credit card at a kettle or online, we’re making an effort to reach the next generation of donors and make it convenient for people to support the campaign,” said Commissioner Roberts.

The Red Kettle Campaign, the oldest annual charitable fundraiser of its kind in the United States, helps raise money for those who need it most in communities nationwide – providing toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs year-round. From its humble beginnings as a fundraiser started by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in 1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable outreach efforts in the United States.

A client waits to be served at The Salvation Army as part of Project Homeless Connect.

The Alton Salvation Army hosted their third annual Madison County Project Homeless Connect event on Wednesday, serving more than 100 area homeless individuals. Agencies that participate in the Madison County Continuum of Care gathered in The Salvation Army’s gym and chapel to provide food, clothing, SSI advocacy, childcare, legal services, healthcare, haircuts, clothing and more to the over 100 homeless people that attended.

“National Project Homeless Connect is a nationwide initiative that works to engage the homeless population, and to connect them with resources they need so that they can get themselves out of the cycle of homelessness,” said DeWayne Sanders of Chestnut Health Systems, a co-facilitator of the Madison County Continuum of Care, “We work to empower, engage and connect these individuals so that we hopefully don’t have to see them here again next year.”

DeWayne Sanders of Chestnut Health Systems at Project Homeless Connect.

The Salvation Army’s Alton worship and community center serves as a hub of local activity, serving a large population of individuals in need in the hard-hit Alton area. The center provides food pantry aid, utility assistance, youth and senior citizen programs and more. The Alton Salvation Army also has an on-site homeless shelter.

“The Salvation Army is amazing. It’s an honor that they let us come and take over their facility for the day and turn it upside down. We’re so glad to work with them to do so much good. What they do for this community is incredible,” remarked Sanders.

The event, which also served as the annual homeless population census as part of the HUD-required Point-in-Time homeless count, allows the government and supportive agencies to gauge the current state of homelessness in the Madison County region.

Volunteers and cooperating agencies help clients connect with necessary resources.

Beth Parenti of the Madison County Mental Health Board volunteered for the event, triaging homeless individuals as they came in to assess what services they needed, and pairing them with a volunteer escort to help them through the process. “With the unfortunate state of the economy,” she said, “the homeless population in Madison County continues to grow. We are here today to lend a hand in any way we can.”

“This program is incredibly important,” stated Leslie Marna, the Regional Shelter Administrator for The Salvation Army, “We are often a central part of any community, working at the core of their homeless issues, and that is certainly the case in Madison County. It’s an honor to host this event, and we are so glad that we can deliver so much good in the space of one day by partnering with our co-agencies through the Continuum of Care.”