Need Knows No Season

The Salvation Army provides shelter and support for those who need it 365 days of the year. Human suffering does not stop when the holiday season ends, and nor does The Salvation Army’s commitment to help.  Excruciating hot summers are grueling to the homeless.  A child’s rumbling stomach still aches when empty and the lost remain afraid. But, The Salvation Army is there to offer support and shelter for the lost and weary throughout the entire year.

During the summer months, Salvation Army shelters such as the Emergency Family Shelter and the "Zone" Single Women’s Lodge, typically run over capacity. Often many of the people who seek refuge at The Salvation Army can not survive on the streets during the sweltering summer days and humid nights. Many families are unable to pay utility bills and the heat makes their homes inhabitable. In fact, the bed-night capacity has increased from 91 percent in the 2006-2007 year to 102 percent last year. Reasons for this increase include factors such as larger families utilizing the shelters, families staying for longer periods of time and families re-entering the shelters.

The Salvation Army shelters are not the only programs that see an increased need during summer months. The Ben Lear food pantry has also received many more requests for help. "Gertrude’s Pantry," The Salvation Army’s food pantry program, helps provides much needed food to low-income senior citizens who are at least 62-years-old. The food pantry also offers Emergency Food Baskets to people who have suffered recent hardships such as losing a job, having a home destroyed by fire or a relative dying. The goal of The Salvation Army’s food pantry is to help bridge the gap between regular food stamps and the need for groceries.

Last month, 75 seniors received food from "Gertrude’s Pantry." This is a significant 50% increase in the number of seniors since January. The program hands out a week’s supply of food on the third Thursday of every month. The package includes one bag of dry goods, one bag of canned goods, one bag of frozen meat and a loaf of bread. The Salvation Army also offers an opportunity for fellowship and social interaction when the recipients arrive to receive their food. To many shut-in seniors, the chance to pray, sing songs and find support among others, is just as important as the bags of food they receive at "Gertrude’s Pantry."

Need knows no season, so please say YES! And help make it possible for The Salvation Army to continue serving others throughout the entire year. Donate today at www.salvationarmymemphis.org.

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