Donations in Action: Gone, but not forgotten
Written by Craig Dirkes, writer/photographer for The Salvation Army Northern Division
Many of the people The Salvation Army serves are in the middle of crazy, unpredictable circumstances. Their stories can be heartbreaking, uplifting, and everything in between.
Here are some of those stories, submitted by Salvation Army social workers and caseworkers from across Minnesota and North Dakota. Out of respect for the people involved, we are retelling these stories without using names.
If you have ever wondered how The Salvation Army uses your donations, here are some good examples:
Gone, but not forgotten
One of our regulars passed away recently. He was elderly, bound to a wheelchair, and homeless. Nearly every day, he would sit in our office lobby due to various reasons, often because of inclement weather. We had many conversations about his life and what led to him being homeless, including health issues, a house fire, addiction, and the death of his daughter.
I was proud to provide this man with temporary shelter, food, housing and clinical resources, a listening ear, and a peaceful place to come during the final stages of his life. Imagine your health failing, your house burning down, and your daughter dying. That is real life for some people in our world. Whatever we can do to help these people, we must always try to do.
Not her fault
People experience homelessness for all kinds of reasons. But this young lady’s situation was unique: She was left out on the street, and her kids were taken away, because of somebody else’s actions.
She had finally gotten an agency to listen to her story, and the agency told her to contact The Salvation Army. When she came to us, we immediately gave her food and blankets. Soon after, we helped her pay the deposit for a new apartment, and we gave her some furniture vouchers.
Weeks later, she returned and received groceries at our food shelf. I found out that she had gotten her kids back and they were all very happy to be together. The woman said she never thought something like this could happen to her, and that she would never again take anything for granted.
Learning humility
The woman I was talking to on the phone needed new glasses and an eye exam, but she was too embarrassed to accept any assistance. During our 20-minute talk, I told the woman she shouldn’t be embarrassed – she wouldn’t be judged by The Salvation Army or anybody else. She began to open up, explaining that the situation was a pride issue for her because she had worked hard all her life and had always given to charities like The Salvation Army.
Finally, the woman agreed to meet with me in person, and a few days later we sat down and chatted. She talked about her work life, her faith, and feeling ashamed that she could not provide for herself. I told her everything would be OK, that God had led her to The Salvation Army for a reason.
After our talk, not only did she accept my referral to LensCrafters, she ate a meal at our hot lunch program and said she would come back for food shelf services whenever her budget is tight.
Please join The Salvation Army by volunteering or making a donation to support your local community.