The Western Division of the Central Territory includes: Iowa; Nebraska and South Dakota. The Western Divisional Headquarters is located in Omaha, NE.
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THE OMAHA SALVATION ARMY TO OFFER RELIEF
FROM HEAT WAVE
Donations of Water and Fans Needed
With the excessive heat warnings, The Salvation Army will operate community cooling stations at its North and South Omaha centers. The stations opened today and will remain open each day temperatures reach 90 degrees or above. Cold drinks and light snacks will be offered at both locations. Donations of bottled water and individually packaged snack items are needed.
The North Omaha cooling station (2424 Pratt Street) will be open:
Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The South Omaha cooling station (4032 Harrison Street) will be open:
Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
The Salvation Army Summer Fan program is also in need of donations. The supply of fans is nearly depleted. New fans can be delivered to The Salvation Army Lied Renaissance Center, 3612 Cuming Street or to a cooling center location. Those in need of a fan should call 898-5860 to check on guidelines.
Monetary donations earmarked "Summer Fans," may be sent to The Salvation Army, 3612 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE, 68131. To make an on-line donation, visit www.givesalvationarmy.org.
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SALVATION ARMY SUMMER FAN PROGRAM CONTINUES
Donations Needed
The Salvation Army continues to collect new fans for its 2009 Summer Fan Program, June 1 - September 11, 2009. The fan program is critical because summer heat can pose dangerous health consequences for the elderly, ill or disabled. "To date, our fan supply has been nearly depleted," said Joanne Bemis, The Salvation Army's Divisional Director of Development.
Donations are needed. This year, Army officials predict a higher demand for free fans due a sluggish economy. Overall, requests for material assistance have soared by more than 30% in recent months.
Summer Fan donations are being accepted. New fans may be dropped off at the Lied Renaissance Center, 3612 Cuming Street. Monetary donations to purchase new fans are also welcome. The retail cost of a basic fan is approximately $20.00.
Monetary donations to the Summer Fan Program can be mailed to The Salvation Army, 3612 Cuming Street, Omaha NE, 68131 or made on-line at www.GiveSalvationArmy.org.
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American Red Cross Transitions Food Pantry to Salvation Army
[Omaha, Neb., ]- After nearly 20 years of hosting a local food pantry in the Omaha metropolitan area, the Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross transitioned the operation of its program to The Salvation Army, as of June 1, 2009. The change comes after a joint strategic planning session conducted by the two agencies and community leaders in September 2008 that envisioned stronger collaboration in meeting community needs.
The Salvation Army is known for providing a broad array of social services and taking over the Red Cross food pantry fits its mission of "doing the most good" for the most people. The Heartland Chapter of the Red Cross plans to now focus on its mission of providing disaster services-helping people prevent, prepare and respond to emergencies. Both agencies will continue their separate disaster services missions. The Salvation Army primarily ministers to first responders in coordination with the American Red Cross and other relief agencies.
"The Salvation Army has long been associated with helping people with basic, daily needs, including food" said Rochelle Mullen, chair of the Heartland Chapter board of directors. "Like the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army is a long-standing national organization effectively meeting local needs every day, and we are pleased that former Red Cross Food Pantry clients will be welcomed by this fine organization in the future," she added.
Mike Cassling, chair of The Salvation Army board, commended the American Red Cross and Salvation Army staff and volunteers for their willingness to continue to partner together in meeting community needs. "Collaboration and cooperation have been key to the successful relationship between our two organizations during periods of disaster response. This is one more way to be efficient and effective together," he said.
Both agencies receive United Way funding and are reliant upon donations from the general public, as well, to meet community needs.
The Salvation Army Pantry, 3612 Cuming Street, operates Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:oo a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 3:30p.m. Families in need of food may also call 402-898-5860 for further information about pantry guidelines.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org
About The Salvation Army:
Approximately 170,000 people were helped last year at six local Salvation Army corps and camp locations with the help of dedicated volunteers. Among the 23 programs offered by The Salvation Army year-round are Emergency Disaster Services for first responders and survivors of emergency disasters, providing food, water, clothing and spiritual counseling --- along with homeless prevention and programs for children and seniors. As one supporter said: "Name a problem and The Salvation Army has a program for it." For more information, go to www.givesalvationarmy.org
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THE SALVATION ARMY, THE MUTUAL OF OMAHA FOUNDATION AND KaBOOM! HOST DESIGN DAY FOR NEW PLAYGROUND AT GENE EPPLEY CAMP
Children's drawings to create blueprint for new community playground
The Salvation Army, the Mutual of Omaha Foundation and organizers from KaBOOM! will host a Design Day for children at the Army's Gene Eppley Camp on Feb. 5. Children from the area will put crayon to paper and draw their dream playgrounds, which will ultimately become a reality. Elements from the children's drawings will be incorporated into the final design for the new community playground to be built on April 16 at the camp. Design Day will also be the first meeting of the playground planning committee that will work for the next 10 weeks to plan and prepare for the construction of the new playground.
The playground will be the first of seven built by the Mutual of Omaha Foundation and KaBOOM! in 2009 in a partnership creating playgrounds that will eventually serve more than 52,000 children. The build will also be one of more than 200 KaBOOM! will lead across the country in 2009 in an effort to provide a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America.
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SALVATION ARMY OFFERS HOPE IN TIMES OF STRESS
With today's economy, just making it through the day can be tough. That's why The Salvation Army provides an array of mental health programs and services. Last year, The Salvation Army helped more than 540 people in the Omaha area manage their mental health challenges.
Sherry Glasnapp, the emergency community support program director at The Salvation Army in Omaha, said that these programs can provide individuals with the life skills needed for success.
"It is truly a pleasure to watch individuals blossom as they receive our services," Glasnapp said. "We meet with people where they are at and work to provide them with the tools for self-empowerment."
Indeed, one such program at The Salvation Army, the Transitional Residential Program (TRP), focuses on assisting individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The program offers workshops in self empowerment, stabilization and transition into community based services. The Salvation Army also offers an Emergency Community Support Program (ECSP), a 90-day program designed to help individuals control their behavioral health issues with advocacy, crisis management and service coordination.
Another Salvation Army service, known as the Peer Support Program, allows individuals facing mental health problems to talk with someone who has been in their shoes. Tom Rundall, a peer specialist for The Salvation Army, was once a participant in ECSP and TRP. He said that the Peer Support Program can make recovery from mental illness a reality.
"Having lived through similar experiences as the people I'm serving, we are able to relate to each other in ways that other service providers are not," Rundall said. "The changes that have taken place in my life serve as evidence of what can be accomplished when hope, support and encouragement are provided."
For more information on The Salvation Army programs and services, visit www.givesalvationarmy.org.
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The Salvation Army Lied Renaissance Center
Omaha, Nebraska
The Salvation Army in Omaha, Nebraska has an established history of providing high quality comprehensive care to people needing assistance in the Omaha area. Currently, The Salvation Army operates a multi-service campus located at 3612 Cuming Street, providing a variety of services to individuals and families across all life stages and circumstances. This facility is unique in the nation in terms of the variety of diverse programming offered on-site: including child and youth care; material assistance; case management and community support; behavioral health services; transitional housing programs; socio-educational and support groups; jail outreach, senior services and spiritual care if requested. The Lied Renaissance Center campus is a micro-comunity with more than 200 people living on the campus on any given day. Such an array of residential care and services provide unparalled access within a holistic, integrated, and caring community environment. Below are some of the faces that have travelled through one of our programs.
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