Logo: Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has had a busy year, but they’re looking back at their accomplishments over a very busy 2024.
Community Services Manager for Owen Sound and Saugeen Shores Alice Wannan says that this year has been their busiest ever. “I have been with the Salvation Army for 32 years, and we have never seen the need as great as it is right now. Last year, we assisted people in our community in Owen Sound with 1.4 million dollars’ worth of practical food assistance.”
She added that the result is staggering, considering the size of Owen Sound.
She said that although they’ve been seeing unprecedented demand for their services, there has also been an outpouring of support from the community.
“It’s that time of year where as a Salvation Army, we’re certainly seeing great need but we’re also seeing great generosity, and we see that all year long. Whether that’s people that are choosing to donate food in lieu of Christmas gifts or anniversary gifts, or whether that’s community food drives that are happening in our schools or businesses, or in the media,” said Wannan. “All of those are just so important to the work we do in the Salvation Army and we really truly say that we would not be able to do the work that we do if it weren’t for the community members, because that is truly who makes it happen.”
As for the cause of the increased demand, Wannan says that there isn’t one specific cause.
“I think that there’s not one main cause… I think that we’re recovering from the last several years, but the increases in rent, and the increases in food are just making it simply impossible for people to be able to pay their rent and feed their families and we’re seeing people that used to be donors for the Salvation Army that are now finding themselves in need. They’ve had some sort of family trauma, or family change and now they’re using the services of the Salvation Army, and again just never thought they’d ever find themselves in that position, but with the increases of utilities, and rents, and food, it is very difficult for people to be able to make it.”
She explained that when people turn to the Salvation Army, it’s usually a because all of their options have been spent, and they have nowhere else to turn.
“We recognize that when you come to the Salvation Army, you have exhausted all of your options. You have borrowed from your family, you have possibly sold off items in your home. you have reached the end when you come to the Salvation Army and reach out for help, but more and more we’re seeing families having to do that, and we just try and reassure them that the whole concept of the Salvation Army Food Bank is sometimes there’s times where we’re able to put into the bank, and other times when we need to withdraw from the bank and we just reassure people that there is hope ahead of us, and there’ is a light, and that if they’re in need and need to use our services that we’re here to help them and get them through the season.”
Now that the Salvation Army’s winter campaigns are coming to a close, she said that they can now focus on 2025.
In the new year, the organization is re-launching their Pathway of Hope program, which Wannan describes as, “A real opportunity to work alongside individuals who are really just wanting to make that significant change in their life and just needs that person to guide them through that and help them along the way, so we’re excited to be launching that again in the new year.”
Above all else, she said that the Salvation Army’s goal is to make sure that the community is taken car of.
“I think that what we really want to do is make sure that our community is taken care of in the best way that we can. This past year has just been filled with ways that we can make sure that people are being assisted and helped in a manner that really shows them dignity and respect, knowing how hard it is for people to come to us for help, and I think that’s one of our goals always is that we just want to continue that,” she said.