Feed the Need

The Army’s strategy is pretty simple. Reach out and make friends. Fill the gap that people can fall into, for whatever reason.

As someone new to the organization and this simple approach, I find it pretty refreshing.

Andrew and the kitchen team: June, Steve and Rob

Feed the need is another example of this philosophy in downtown Halifax at the Citadel Community Church. Every Monday evening since last October in the church basement you’ll find the Army’s Andrew Benson and the kitchen team reaching out and feeding those in need.

Bill was here. Although homeless, he’s got quite an entrepreneurial spirit, selling copies and contributing to “Street Feat”, Atlantic Canada’s first street newspaper http://www.streetfeat.ns.ca/ .

“The Salvation Army has always been there for me…goodness knows where I’d be without the Army,” Bill says. “My dad was a taxman in New York City. I always recall him telling me that when it came to integrity, the Salvation Army was the best.”

Bill: Thank you Salvation Army!

They may be homeless; they may be helpless…whatever the need. “We began with fewer than 10 people. Now the word’s getting out and we average 35 to 40. When Hope Cottage is closed, it could be double that,” Andrew says. “We’re here, building community…relationships and trust. Trying to enrich lives.”

It’s funny. I often get the feeling that there’s a whole lot of enriching going on—both ways. Look at the smiles on those faces of the kitchen team.

Tony, in the recovery program at the Booth Centre on Gottingen Street said it best. He was here this evening volunteering, waiting on tables. “Doing this is helping me more than it’s helping them,” says Tony.

As I left the building with a big grin on my face, I couldn’t resist feeling that way myself.

***

Watch this space for more stories and pictures of my experiences with the Salvation Army. You can post your comments here as well---I look forward to seeing them.
-Ron
Ron Zima ADpPR
Major Gifts Representative
Salvation Army, Maritimes Division
ron_zima@can.salvationarmy.org

For more details on the Salvation Army, visit:
Salvation Army, Maritimes Division

Breakfast at the Block

Some youngsters were really tugging hard on my heartstrings this morning.

I paid a visit to “500 block” on Herring Cove Road in Spryfield. There, I found The Salvation Army Community Response Unit (CRU), fondly referred to by some as the “ice cream truck”, parked, serving up breakfasts to residents.

Amongst the steady trickle of residents emerging from the buildings were a lot of kids. I was taken by how polite and bright they were.

Army volunteers: Linda, Audrey, George & Jean.

Isaiah and Uncle Wayne

“They’re just so sweet, you wanna hug the bunch”, says George, a full-time Army volunteer who regularly commandeers the CRU to Spryfield.

George and his team-mates are passionate about their mission. It’s really quite simple: just show up, make friends and connect with the kids, in particular. “If we can reach the kids, everything else will follow”, George said.

“Breakfast on the Block” is a community outreach initiative that the Army has undertaken. If the Army can introduce more positive influences into the community, then perhaps trust will be won and things can change for the better.

I’m still thinking of four-year-old Isaiah and his great-uncle Wayne. Isaiah: what a smile! They walked quite a ways down Herring Cove Road to collect a hot breakfast. Uncle Wayne was a little worn out—having picked blackberries in the bushes of their neighbourhood the previous day.

“Isaiah loves picking blackberries. It’s hard to keep up with him!” Wayne said.

I was privileged to meet both of them. They made by day today.

***

Watch this space for more stories and pictures of my experiences with the Salvation Army. You can post your comments here as well---I look forward to seeing them.
-Ron
Ron Zima ADpPR
Major Gifts Representative
Salvation Army, Maritimes Division
ron_zima@can.salvationarmy.org

For more details on the Salvation Army, visit:
Salvation Army, Maritimes Division

Sackville NS Corps transformation

The Sackville Nova Scotia Corps of the Salvation Army is into its third year of transformation by Captains Carson and Teresa Decker.

I was astonished to learn of the scope and depth of the Carsons’ impact so far…and I’m looking forward to sharing more stories, photos and video in the weeks ahead.

For example, their breakfast program at Harold T. Barrett Junior High has been a huge hit, filling a significant need for hungry stomachs.

The Decker Team: Kyley (2), Capt. Teresa, Capt. Carson, Makayla (5)

They’ve begun a “Pioneer Club” with about 40 girls and boys participating in fun activities and badge-work.

The Community Response Unit is making regular stops in the community of 62,000 while the Decker’s are also directing a “basic shelf” cooking support program. That’s where folks on a tight budget can get valuable cooking lessons to make those dollars go farther and feed the family better.

That’s just the tip of the proverbial ice burg regarding the Army’s exciting interaction with the Sackville Beaverbank Kinsac community. Stay tuned for much more as I continue my travels.

Watch this space for more stories and pictures of my experiences with the Salvation Army. You can post your comments here as well---I look forward to seeing them.
-Ron
Ron Zima ADpPR
Major Gifts Representative
Salvation Army, Maritimes Division
ron_zima@can.salvationarmy.org

For more details on the Salvation Army, visit:
Salvation Army, Maritimes Division

Rick's Story

It's been said that the organization that "can tell the best stories" can usually do very well in raising funds for it’s cause.

That's my mandate. To help the Army tell its' stories. Here's another one that I was privileged to get to know over the past several weeks.

Rick MacDonald tells his story about addiction recovery at the Booth Centre in Halifax. Click on the "play" button below the screen.

Watch this space for more stories and pictures of my experiences with the Salvation Army. You can post your comments here as well---I look forward to seeing them.

-Ron
Ron Zima ADpPR
Major Gifts Representative
Salvation Army, Maritimes Division
ron_zima@can.salvationarmy.org

For more details on the Salvation Army, visit:
Salvation Army, Maritimes Division