Does The Salvation Army help only those of a certain religion?
The Salvation Army pledges to help those of all religions, as well as those with no religious base. We have an official “position statement” that says: “All social welfare services to individuals or families are given without discrimination, according to the capacity of the organization to serve in meeting the needs of those involved; and all services shall be equally available to clients on the basis of need and capacity to benefit from the program of the institution.”
Do you have to join The Salvation Army church before The Army will help you?
No. We respect those who come to us in need, whatever their beliefs may be. We try to establish an environment in which spiritual choice is possible.
Does The Salvation Army discriminate in its delivery of services against those of a particular race or sexual orientation?
We strive to meet the needs of vulnerable groups and those overlooked or ignored in our communities. We make no distinction based on ethnicity or sexual orientation.
How does The Salvation Army ensure that its programs meet the same quality standards across Canada?
The Salvation Army is involved in the continuous development and promotion of new and innovative strategies for service delivery. Social service centres across the country are engaged in an ongoing process of evaluation and improvement through an accreditation program managed by our national office.
How much of your money goes to administration?
On average, 88 cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army are used directly in charitable activities – exceeding the Canada Revenue Agency guideline of 80% donation efficiency. Funds raised are used to provide direct assistance to the homeless, the mentally ill, the physically challenged, victims of drug and alcohol abuse and others under our care.
What is unique about The Salvation Army? Why should I give my money to The Salvation Army rather than some other organization?
There are several answers to this question. First, The Salvation Army has demonstrated its ability to effectively identify and efficiently meet urgent human needs in communities throughout Canada for over 120 years. When you give to us, you know that your money is going to those who need it most.
Second, the people we serve have multiple needs. The homeless, for example, often have health problems. Drug addicts may need literacy training. Single mothers may require parenting classes as well as maternity care. The Army is uniquely positioned to address such multiple needs. The wide range of our programs means that we can deal with the whole person under the umbrella of a single agency.
Third, our staff are exceptionally well equipped to identify and address the many needs of those who seek our help. They combine the expertise of professional training with the experience of working in a variety of specialized programs.
What is the role of volunteers in The Salvation Army?
Volunteers give us valuable assistance in many ways. They help with the Red Shield Appeal and with our Christmas fundraising. Volunteers also speak for members of the community on our advisory boards and on the community councils attached to our social service centres. We have over 50,000 volunteers across the country who work alongside officers and employees to provide direct services to those in need.
What are you doing in the long term? What is the effect on the community?
Because of the wide scope of the services we offer, The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to think in terms of long term solutions to social problems. We certainly continue to meet the short term needs of individuals for food, shelter and clothing. In addition, however, we offer a variety of programs aimed at equipping individuals to make a new start in life. For many, literacy training is the first step toward stable employment. For others, overcoming addictions is the biggest challenge. For the single mother, training in parenting skills may make all the difference in the quality of life for the next generation.
Our hospital services provide holistic health care. Patients receive a comprehensive program of care that includes their physical, emotional, familial and spiritual needs. Our long term care services provide a continuum of care based on the philsophy of “aging in place” wherever possible. The range of care is based on each client’s needs, whether it is for supportive housing or palliative care.
People on the street are responsible for their own problems. Why should I help them when they won’t help themselves?
In these tough times, we all know of people who have suffered losses – like the loss of their jobs – through no fault of their own. When such an event happens, The Salvation Army is there to help. There are others, of course, who have fallen on hard times because they have been unable to take control of their own lives. The solution is not to look the other way. If social issues are left unattended, they affect society. Drug problems, for example, often lead to crime.
Giving to The Salvation Army is an investment in prevention. Through our programs, people are taught to behave responsibly and to assume control of their own lives.
My business has a particular interest in the cause of literacy / addictions / children. How can I ensure that the money I donate will go to this cause?
Donations that are specified or designated for a certain program are used to support that program directly. If you wish to specify your gift, this should be clearly noted when you make your donation. Our online donations page, for example, gives you a special box to complete with this information.
I am unable to make a financial donation right now. How else can I help?
There are so many ways to give to The Salvation Army, and to those in need in your community:
* homeless kit
* gift baskets for Christmas
* toys — toy mountain
* coats for kids
* repairs to camps in your local area
* equipment for camps — sports, cooking utensils
* volunteering for community councils, advisory boards or for fundraising campaigns
Does The Salvation Army operate only in Canada?
The Salvation Army operates in 175 languages in 121 countries.
One of our tasks is emergency relief. Last year, the international Salvation Army provided relief to almost 12 million people globally.
We also visited over a quarter of a million prisoners and helped hundreds of thousands of people with our employment and counselling services.
Salvation Army health programs assist over two million patients around the world. Hundreds of thousands of children attend Salvation Army schools.
Why do you do what you do?
It has been said that The Salvation Army is “Christianity with its sleeves rolled up.” Salvationists are inspired by the Bible’s call to show love for God by helping their neighbour.
The only evidence I see of The Salvation Army around my town is your church. Why should I give money to someone else’s church?
The corps (or community churches) are more than sites of religious worship. They are points of contact for all in the community who may need our help. They arrange for people to receive the assistance they need from other Salvation Army locations.
Salvation Army ministers dedicate (christen) children, and can marry and bury, as do clergy of other churches, but they often have a wider field of service than ministers of other denominations. Some of our officers are in charge of corps, some are administrators, some are involved directly in social work, some are prison chaplains and counselors, some are writers and media experts. In addition, a corps officer is able to help those in a community who may have loved ones in difficulty somewhere else. For example, we do a lot of work in prisons in major urban centres. We often find that the inmates have concerns about their families in other communities. Our corrections officers are able to advise local pastors when the families of prisoners may require support. We search for missing persons through our Family Tracing Service. Once again, The Salvation Army church is acting as a point of contact in your community.
Does The Salvation Army help only the old?
The Salvation Army helps people of all ages. Young people benefit from a great many of our services. These include single mothers, abused women, drug and alcohol addicts, the homeless, the physically challenged. Kids clubs, homework havens and tutoring programs provide a safe environment for children and teens.
Our summer camps for children are among the largest and best in the country.
Does The Salvation Army help only those who are beyond rehabilitation?
The Army believes that everyone has the capacity to determine a solution for their problems. A great many of our programs are directed at helping people turn their lives around. This could mean kicking a drug or alcohol habit. It could mean acquiring literacy skills to improve employment opportunities. It could mean finding housing so that children can be raised in a safe environment, and developing support networks in the community.
Every year, we help thousands of Canadians find their way to a better life for themselves and their families.
Are you a social services agency?
No, we are a group of committed Christians who are concerned to see that the gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ – reaches the need of the whole person. The Army’s social work sprang out of such concern. All we do is motivated by Christian love. If we, for want of a better way of speaking, refer to our church work and also to our social work, it is not that these are two distinct entities which could operate one without the other. They are but two activities of the one and the same salvation which is concerned with the total redemption of the whole person. We are not a social services agency which happens to be run by religious people, but a Christian church which, under God’s guidance does social work.
Is The Salvation Army rich?
Yes and no! The Salvation Army is rich in the quality of devoted service given by its workers; it is rich in the esteem in which it is held by the public; it is rich in the Christian faith, which motivates all it does. But The Salvation Army is not rich financially. Rather, it is a channel through which money passes to provide for those who otherwise would not be helped.
The Army’s operating costs are low, and money given, designated for a specific purpose, will be applied wholly to that project. The Salvation Army does have property, without which it could not carry on its needed and varied work.
Why do you still wear those uniforms?
Mainly because it gives us an “open door” to service, and because the uniform tells everyone that the wearer is a Christian who will be glad to help. Also, we’ve never heard of an Army without uniform. Salvationists find that the uniform is not only distinctive, it is practical as well.
What about your fundraising practices?
The Salvation Army demands a high moral standard from those who raise money on its behalf. This is outlined in the “Fundraising Code of Ethics,” which may be seen at our web site.
Where can I find out about your finances?
A copy of our most recent audited financial statements is posted on our web site (PDF format).
How can people support The Salvation Army?
There are several ways to share with those less fortunate by supporting The Salvation Army.
The most important of those is, of course, by contributing financially to the work that we do:
* by donating on-line using a credit card, through our websites at www.SalvationArmy.ca or at www.Salvationist.ca,
* by calling our 24 hour toll-free phone line at 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)
with your credit card donation,
* by getting in touch with your local Salvation Army church or unit, or
* by mailing a cheque or money order made payable to “The Salvation Army” and addressed to The Salvation Army, 2 Overlea Boulevard, Toronto, ON, M4H 1P4.
We also have experts in planned giving who can help you structure different ways of supporting the work of The Salvation Army while taking advantage of any tax concessions that you may be eligible for. They can also help you plan annuities that will provide you with retirement income. More information about planned giving and all our other programs is available at www.SalvationArmy.ca.
