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.”

By: Danni Eickenhorst, Midland Division

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.

Midland Division still 20% short of local goal, launches social media push to topple goal

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.

The 4th Annual Service Extension & Emergency Disaster Services Summit will be held at Camp Mihaska in Bourbon, Missouri on April 20 – 21, 2012. Service Extension and Emergency Disaster Service volunteers will be offered a variety of workshops and training to increase their knowledge of The Salvation Army’s protocols.

Anyone wishing to become an on-call volunteer with The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services or Service Extension units is invited to attend. There is no cost for the event, with the exception of the cost of transportation. Room and board will be offered at no charge for those who attend training.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Sheila Davis at (314) 646-3166.

A Briefing By: Anthony DiStefano, Emergency Disaster Services Director

On 2 December, 2011, at approximately 9:15pm, Russ Weltmer, TSA’s Lincoln County SEU and Advisory Committee chairman, received a telephone call from the Lincoln County (MO) Fire Department.

The LCFD was requesting that The Salvation Army respond to a fire and plan to meet the food and hydration needs of 125 fire fighters, paramedics and police officers who were at that time on the scene of a 5-Alarm fire in Eolia, MO.

At 9:22pm, Russ contacted Anthony DiStefano (Midland Division EDS Director), and discussed the situation as to how best to meet and accomplish this challenge. 

After a plan was formulated, DiStefano left for the scene (81 miles away) and arrived at 11:09pm at the Pike-Lincoln Technical Center in Eolia, MO (27 miles north of Troy, MO).

By: Danni Eickenhorst, Midland Division

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.”

By: Danni Eickenhorst, Midland Division

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.”

The Salvation Army Deploys 3 Mobile Kitchens & 2 Rapid Response Vehicles

Chattanooga, TN – The Salvation Army of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi Division has deployed three mobile kitchen units and two rapid response vehicles (catering trucks) to the tornado-torn areas of Alabama this morning. These communities include: Maplesville, Centerpoint and the Birmingham Area. More units are on stand-by and may be mobilizing to help.

The Salvation Army of Chattanooga has just received a new rapid response vehicle to its fleet late last week and it is already on stand-by to serve potential flooded area of North Georgia or serve as back up if needed in neighboring Alabama communities.

The Salvation Army is no stranger to being one of the first to a scene of a natural disaster and is typically one of the last to cease serving. The Chattanooga mobile kitchen is still in the Apison, TN community and Long Term Recovery Workers are still serving the Tennessee Valley from the April 27, 2011 storms.

The best way to help tornado survivors and rescue workers is to make a financial contribution. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors. The Salvation Army asks those who want to help to visit www.disaster.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769) and designate their gift “January 2012 Tornado Relief”

Checks may be made out to:
The Salvation Army Alabama Tornado Relief
P.O. Box 100339
Atlanta, GA 30384-0339

By: Danni Eickenhorst

The bellringers who usher in the Christmas season so brightly with the jingle of their bell have put away their kettles for another year, but the Tree of Lights campaign continues through the end of January, and the work we do will continue for as long as there is support.

365 days a year, The Salvation Army provides homeless services, food pantry assistance, rent and utility supplements, youth programming, senior services, emergency disaster response, ministry and more. 82 cents of every dollar we receive from our donors goes directly into programming that changes lives in the St. Louis area.

Because the facts and figures for 2011 aren’t quite in yet, let’s take a look at the work of The Salvation Army in 2010.

In 2010, The Salvation Army’s Midland Division (Missouri and Southern Illinois):

Provided recreation opportunities at local community centers for 115,000 individuals, primarily low-income youth.
Assisted 170 individuals with more than 5,000 nights of transitional housing.
Distributed more than 39,000 toys at Christmas to children and families in need.
Served more than 50,000 people through feeding programs such as our community center soup kitchens located throughout the division.
Provided more than 170 individuals with access to affordable workforce housing in the Downtown St. Louis area through our Railton apartments.
Served 4,503 individuals at our Harbor Light facility which provides housing and rehabilitation services to veterans and homeless men.
Visited with and ministered to shut-ins, patients in hospitals, nursing homes and infirmaries. Distributed more than 27,000 gifts and publications to these individuals.
Gave more than 1,200 backpacks filled with school supplies to needy children who would otherwise have had to go to school without supplies.

Ameren employees recently donated 400 hours of their time to ring bells in support of The Salvation Army. Employees worked throughout downtown St. Louis in support of The Salvation Army’s youth, homeless, senior and social service programs.

Ameren has long been a partner of the Salvation Army . The partnership has lasted more than 20 years, with The Salvation Army receiving more than $1.1 million in trust donations from Ameren since 1990.

Ameren’s corporate social responsibility program encourages employee involvement and direction to build a stronger communities in Missouri and Illinois.

By: Danni Eickenhorst, Midland Division

For the third year in a row Ashley Vehige, 17 years old, adopted a family from The Salvation Army for Christmas. Delivering her bundles today, she said she does it simply because she likes to try to give as much as she receivse for Christmas.

This season, Vehige and friends from her St. Charles County 4-H Junior Leaders gathered gifts and groceries for two families. The first family is that of a single mother coping with the death of her oldest son, and raising his child in addition to her own teenagers. The other family is comprised of a 46-year old mother of four children and 1 granddaughter living under one roof, trying to make ends meet after suffering a 40% loss of income in 2011.

As they unload bags of gifts for each family, along with five bags of food to get them through the holidays, Carla Vehige notes that her daughter was the driving force behind their involvement this year and every year. “She pretty much did this by herself. I just drove her here.”

The families in our Adopt-A-Family program are families that are nominated by agencies, local hospitals and the case workers most intimately familiar with their case,” says Wanda Carson, head of The Salvation Army’s Adopt-A-Family program, “Thanks to people like Ashley and her family, we have seen a 33% increase in the number of families adopted through this program this year.”

By: Danni Eickenhorst, Midland Division

A group of employees from St. Louis University’s Human Resource Department delivered several bags of goodies to The Salvation Army last week. The effort, spearheaded by Addie Boeving, yielded more than 70 cards with Christmas wishes for our clients, adults and children alike and many individual-sized toiletries to restock our homeless shelters.

The toiletries will be used by residents in the O’Fallon and Family Haven shelters, while the cards will be distributed to families at next week’s Toy Town events throughout St. Louis. A most heartfelt THANKS goes out to the generous employees of St. Louis University!

(St. Louis, MO) – During a celebration at Barack Obama Elementary School, Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO) announced that neighborhoods across St. Louis will receive $2.5 million in affordable housing grants that will provide homes for over 195 of the city’s families.

The grant funds will be used to rehabilitate existing properties and construct supportive housing for homeless veterans and individuals. The projects will not only provide safe and decent housing, but also improve the communities those families live in and invigorate the local economy through the creation of jobs.

“The $2.5 million in new grants we are announcing today will help seniors and low income families rehab their homes and stay in the neighborhoods that they love,” commented Congressman Clay. “We are also funding a program with The Salvation Army to directly combat homelessness among veterans. The brave men and women who have worn the uniform of this country should never find themselves on the streets, without a safe place to call home. I am especially proud that the $2.5 million in new grants that we are announcing today in my congressional district are being funded without spending one tax dollar. As we work to reduce the deficit and pay down the national debt, here in St. Louis, we are building up our community in a fiscally responsible way.”

Home Rehabilitation

Two million dollars will be targeted to four communities that have some of the oldest housing units in the city. Many of these homes are in need of necessary improvements, such as new roofs or foundations, but these improvements are not being made due to the lack of household income.

“These improvements are crucial in promoting community sustainability, maintaining property values and preserving housing stock for existing and future generations,” said Tyrone Turner, director of housing and asset development, Better Family Life, Inc. This is the second year the organization has received funds for its West End Home Repair Program and it is anticipated a total of 100 homes will be rehabilitated. Midwest Bank Centre partnered with Better Family Life, Inc. to secure the funds.

Beyond Housing and their partners, Midwest BankCentre and First National Bank of St. Louis, will use the grant funds to transform 96 homes in the Hillsdale, Pagedale and Pinelawn communities. In total, Beyond Housing has used $2.0 million in AHP grants to improve 40 homes over the past two years.

“This program is instrumental in helping residents improve their homes and enhance their neighborhood,” said Chris Krehmeyer, executive director, Beyond Housing. The home repair programs are an important part of Beyond Housing’s broad scale community building work in all 24 communities that comprise the Normandy School District.                                                                                

New Construction for Veterans

Nearly $500,000 will be awarded to the Salvation Army St. Louis Veterans Housing project. Transitional and permanent housing, along with critical supportive services such as substance abuse treatment and job training, will be provided. “There is a huge need for the project. It is estimated that there are over 1,300 homeless people in the city of St. Louis, of which 300 are veterans,” said Gary Busiek, divisional social services director for The Salvation Army. “Since before the Great War, The Salvation Army has been working with our armed forces. Locally, The Salvation Army has been helping Veterans for decades at its Harbor Light Center. This new building will be a great step forward to providing them the support they need after serving our country.” Heartland Bank partnered with The Salvation Army to secure the funds.

“The collective efforts of FHLB Des Moines, its members and their partners will create housing opportunities for families that may not otherwise have access to affordable homes,” said John Kennedy, FHLB Des Moines director. Each year, FHLB Des Moines returns 10 percent of its net income to communities throughout its district through the Affordable Housing Program. These grants assist in the development of affordable owner-occupied and rental housing for very low- to moderate-income households.

In 2011, the Bank awarded $15 million in grants through its member institutions including, First National Bank of St. Louis, Heartland Bank and Midwest BankCentre, to fund 45 housing projects, which will help create or renovate 1,800 housing units across the FHLB Des Moines five state district. Over $5 million was committed to projects in Missouri.