Donations in action: Squirrels, learning English, evictions, more

Everything that could go wrong for the woman who called was, in fact, going wrong.

She called The Salvation Army in need of utility assistance because her electricity was about to be shut off. She was panicking because her son uses an oxygen concentrator at night.

More problems: The woman had just been served eviction papers, her vehicle had been repossessed, and her daughter needed support because she recently had a baby. The woman hadn’t been working because of her recent surgery to remove thyroid cancer. Her husband couldn’t find work, either.

The most urgent need was preventing the family from being evicted. The Salvation Army could help with rent assistance, but we couldn’t pay for it all. Although the situation was looking bleak, at the last minute, a friend agreed to pay for 30 percent of the rent. The Salvation Army and the county were able to pay for the rest. The county was able to pay the electric bill as well.

This all was a huge success considering the many crises the woman was facing. She is back at work now and got a raise. She should be able to keep up with her bills now.

A disabled woman called and said, frantically, that she needed The Salvation Army’s help – there was something in her attic.

I asked what kind of sound it was. She said she didn’t know, but she thought it was an animal. She lived alone and was very much afraid.

I told her to call the fire department because The Salvation Army only offers services such as assistance with food, rent, transportation and utilities. She calmed down and said she’d call the fire department.

Later that day, she called back and said the fire department had stopped by her home. They found a squirrel that had entered her attic through a small hole. The firefighters removed the animal and its nest, and suggested that the woman patch up the hole.

The woman thanked me profusely. Then she started asking me about our food shelf. I gave her our address and hours.

Funny how a call to remove a squirrel later turned into the woman receiving help with something The Salvation Army could actually provide.

We have a large population of Russian and Ukrainian immigrants near our service center. Many of these people are quiet and humble. They rarely ask for more than clothing and bread.

One day, an older Russian woman with a thick accent stopped in to see me. I had a hard time understanding her, but eventually realized she needed to return some clothing she’d picked up here for her granddaughter.

The woman was with a friend who spoke better English. I pulled her friend aside and asked if she’d interpret a question I had for the woman. I then asked if the woman would be interested in learning English from a Salvation Army volunteer who is a retired school teacher.

After the interpreter finished asking my question, the woman’s face lit up as she nodded with excitement.

I later found out that this dear old woman had been trying to earn her U.S. citizenship for some time, but she couldn’t pass the verbal portion of the test.

I am happy to report that the woman now meets with our volunteer several times per week. The woman is diligent about her homework and is making great progress. She appears to be happier than ever. I can’t wait to celebrate with her when she passes her test to become a citizen.

A man came to our food shelf in need of help getting back home to Florida. I told him to contact the county for help, and if that didn’t work, to come back so I could check with other resources.

Two hours later, the man came back with a denial letter from the county. I called a neighborhood nonprofit that I thought could help. They said they could pay for a one-way bus ticket if it wasn’t too expensive. I called Greyhound, got a price quote, and called the nonprofit back. They said it was a go.

The man was elated. We gave him a ride to the nonprofit to pick up his ticket. The bus wasn’t leaving until the following morning, so we offered to bring the man to The Salvation Army Harbor Light Shelter in Minneapolis, where he could stay the night. He graciously accepted.

This story goes to show that referrals are tools that can be just as powerful as direct Salvation Army services such as food, shelter and rehabilitation.