Social services have been the primary responsibility of the churches down through the ages. While federally funded programs like food stamps and welfare provide needed assistance to the nation’s poorest families; many people still rely on programs of religious charities, such as those which the local Salvation Army provides. Some of the most effective groups making a real difference in the community are religious institutions, whose outreach programs provide food, clothing, shelter and guidance to the poor, elderly, homeless and others in need. Many national programs such as the Salvation Army do wonderful things in the area of social services, providing aid for numerous needs of the underprivileged within their congregations’ local communities. The Salvation Army offers a voluntary program of faith-based social service. They have traditionally provided a variety of community services as part of their religious mission, believing that when people receive the benefits of social aid, it leads them to an awareness of spiritual authenticity, which opens them up to future evangelism.
The purposes of the Salvation Army are “the advancement of the Christian religion…of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole.” There are several local services provided by the Salvation Army which is a nationally recognized non- profit organization, including the Salvation Army Thrift Store, drop boxes, food pantries, homeless shelters, an angel tree ministry, and the Boys and Girls Club. Separate housing units are available for men and families in emergency situations at their local homeless shelters. Those using these services are required to find a day job or volunteer to help in the various responsibilities of the ministry. They are only allowed to remain in the units at night. The local Angel Tree ministry encourages volunteers to donate and provide Christmas toys and clothes to needy children during the holiday season.
The Salvation Army has teamed up with The Boys and Girls Clubs of America to provide a much needed service to the community. The Boys and Girls Club ministry provides after school care for school-age children with tutoring and mentoring services available. The program includes character-building and self-esteem-building activities, games, arts and crafts, outdoor recreation, and other special events. The Boys & Girls Club provides a safe place to learn and grow with ongoing relationships with caring, adult professionals and life-enhancing programs and character development experiences which give children who might not otherwise have it hope and opportunity. Their Mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need them the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Four key factors define the heart of the Salvation Army’s Boys & Girls Club, which they believe are necessary in making a positive impact on the life of a child. These factors include a dedicated youth facility that is open daily, and run by professional staff members, which is available and affordable to all youth in the community. The Boys & Girls Club is a neighborhood-based building designed solely for youth programs and activities. The Club is open every day, after school and on weekends, when kids have free time and need positive, productive outlets. Every Club has full-time, trained youth development professionals (some being LCSWs), providing positive role models and mentors for the children served. Volunteers provide key supplementary support. The Club reaches out to kids who cannot afford and access other community programs.
Boys & Girls Clubs inspire their members, whether encouraging young people to complete their homework, participate in recreational activities, enter an art competition or have a healthy snack. The Clubs’ local staff members know the important role they play in creating a wholesome environment for the kids they serve. The Boys & Girls Clubs provide solutions to the epidemic of soaring high school drop-out rates, along with low fitness and high obesity in young people through homework help, engaging and fun nutritional tips, energizing sports and recreational activities and challenging academic programs. The Club reaches out to a generation at risk by providing positive guidance and exciting opportunities. In 2006 the Boys & Girls Clubs of America celebrated 100 years of providing hope and opportunity to young people across the country.
The local Hattiesburg club serves over one hundred children a day, and has over two hundred enrolled in the program, with the summer program having a larger clientele. About 90-95% are African American, which is a reflection of the local Hattiesburg public school system, though about 30 other area schools are represented, as well. These are often high-need, low-income children who have little opportunity elsewhere. Volunteers are always needed to help facilitate the programs and provide better adult- children ratios for safety purposes. Local dues for the after-school program are $30 per year and $200 for the summer program, which make the program a more affordable option to those who need this type of service. The local Club hours are from 3:00 PM to about 7:30 PM Monday through Friday.
The Salvation Army has been continually supported by the countless hours volunteered by members of their congregations, as well as others in the community, who present services within the context of their faith and the needs of their local communities. Their self-help agendas provided largely by volunteer service men and women supervise homeless shelters, food banks, after school programs, job placement services, and other important services. While their church-based social programs may mirror secular alternatives with the services they provide, there are significant differences in the motivations of the volunteers, which clearly sets the tone for the delivery of those services.
©2008, 2009 Kimberly Hartfield
