Donations in Action: Major breakthrough
Donations in Action is a story series about how your gifts to The Salvation Army Northern Division help people and families in Minnesota and North Dakota. The stories below provide examples of how our staff, volunteers, donors, and partners are making a positive impact during these uncertain times.
Please join us by giving a donation. Your gift will provide food, shelter and care for people most in need.
Major breakthrough
A mother and father have achieved a major breakthrough with help from The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope mentoring program.
They started the program more than a year ago, when their daughter was only 2 months old. With help from our staff and officers, the parents have achieved goals such as finding employment, learning to budget, obtaining mental health treatment, finding subsidized housing, and strengthening their spiritual lives.
Along the way, the family and their 1-year-old daughter have enjoyed many fun activities at The Salvation Army, including game night, movie night, a family fishing trip, and pastoral care outings.
“This family has taken full advantage of the services and opportunities offered by The Salvation Army and our supporters,” said a Salvation Army officer who has worked closely with the family.
Pathway of Hope is a long-term mentoring program that helps people and families exit poverty through case management, financial assistance, education, and other help. Thanks to your gifts, the program is offered at nearly all of The Salvation Army’s Worship and Service Centers in Minnesota, North Dakota, and nationwide.
A taste of home
A woman who recently immigrated from Africa began living with a local family but she was not being treated well. With help from her church friends, the woman found a modest apartment of her own in the northern Twin Cities suburbs.
Rent was expensive, so she started coming to a Salvation Army food pantry to help bridge the gap. During her first visit, she saw a bag of garri – a flour-like substance used in many foods in Africa – sitting on the shelf.
“She cried when she saw it,” said a Salvation Army officer. “This woman was new in a foreign land, and yet The Salvation Army was still able to provide a little bit of home for her. She was so excited about it.”
Thanks to your donations, The Salvation Army is able to offer culturally-specific foods at many of our food pantries, including Asian, Hispanic, and African fare.
After a few more visits to the food shelf, the officer learned that the woman needed furniture for her apartment but couldn’t afford it. The officer later visited her home to determine her furniture needs and provided a referral to a nonprofit that offers free furniture. The officer concluded his visit by blessing her house.
“This woman’s story touched our hearts,” the officer said.
Gainfully employed
A single mother recently escaped a domestic violence situation and needed help starting her life over.
Our caseworker helped her secure a good job at a local housing authority.
“When she stopped by our office to share the good news, she felt like she was on top of the world,” the caseworker said.
The Salvation Army gave the woman a bus card to help her get to and from work until she received her first paycheck. She is now saving money to buy her own vehicle.
“She thanked us for helping her turn her abusive domestic life into a successful life as a single mom,” the caseworker said.
Please join The Salvation Army by giving a donation or signing up to volunteer. With your help, we can show families in need that there is #LoveBeyond their most difficult hardships.