HALIFAX, September 1, 2010 – CIBC celebrated its $100,000 commitment to The Salvation Army in Halifax with a donation presentation at the CIBC Barrington and Duke branch. CIBC’s donation will go towards repairs and upgrades beginning this year to The Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope on Gottingen Street. The funds will help restore The Salvation Army’s flagship social services facility including the Booth Centre, home to a 40-bed men’s shelter and a 19-bed rehabilitation program for men with addictions.

“CIBC’s outstanding gift to our Operation: Building Hope capital campaign has made a huge difference,” says Major Larry Martin, Divisional Commander, The Salvation Army. “The critical repairs and renovations taking place this year at our Centre of Hope on Gottingen Street were made possible by leadership level gifts like the one made by CIBC. We couldn’t do this without their support, and we greatly appreciate CIBC’s partnership in making our community a better place for all citizens.”

Over the course of its lengthy history in Halifax, CIBC has made a difference by supporting a wide range of community-based organizations. In the past three years alone, the bank has contributed $650,000 to local organizations including the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Foundation, capital campaigns for local universities and colleges, the YMCA and The Salvation Army, among others.

“At CIBC, we are committed to supporting causes that matter to our clients,
our employees and our communities through corporate donations, sponsorships and the volunteer spirit of our employees,” said Sylvain Vinet, Senior Vice-President of CIBC Retail Markets for Eastern Canada.

“Terry Gardiner, CIBC’s vice-president for the Atlantic region, is a great example of how our employees are involved in the community,” Vinet continued. “Terry has served on The Salvation Army’s capital campaign cabinet and is Chair of the Advisory Board, overseeing the work of transforming the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the community.”

-Ron
Ron Zima ADpPR
Fund Development & Public Relations
The Salvation Army – Maritime Division
ron_zima@can.salvationarmy.org
DIRECT: 902-456-2550

At age four Conrad Wilson’s mom, an alcoholic and drug addict, gave him to his aunt in exchange for some new furniture. Continue Reading

With the summer sun dappling through dark evergreens beyond the open windows, the chorus of voices rose and spilled out of the Chapel in the Woods with the fervor and assurance of true believers. Continue Reading

The Salvation Army Correctional & Justice Services in Winnipeg has been operating The Prostitution Diversion Program(PDP) in partnership with Manitoba Justice since 1998. The program gives those individuals, mainly women, the opportunity of resolving their prositution-related charge through an alternative “camp” program instead of through the traditional court system. This three day, two night program takes place out of the city and introduces the participants to relationships and resources that may assist them in transitioning out of prostitution, and also provides much needed care and rest.

The PDP, however, is constantly challenged by the lack of residential resources for the women when they decide to get off the street. Needed are facilities and related programming of both a short-term(a few weeks) and long-term (a few years) nature that support the women in their decision to reclaim their lives. It is recommended that a “Safe Place” or Safe House be established within the city of Winnipeg for those contemplating transitioning out of prostitution and then a long term transition home out of the city that would provide trauma therapy, counselling, skills training, and addiction recovery all in a home-like environment. Partnerships with other organizations (both government and non-government) are key to the success of these projects.

On Tuesday, September 7, 2010 The Salvation Army, CHVN 95.1 FM and World Financial Group are partnering to raise funds to provide a safe place for vulnerable women transitioning back into society. The Manitoba office of World Financial Group has initiated a friendly competition with World Financial Group offices Canada-wide to see who can raise the most money. The team that ends up raising the most will get to place their provincial flag at the summit of Mount Baldy in Kananaskis, Alberta. More importantly, all funds raised will go directly to the work of The Salvation Army.

For sponsorship and donations or for more information, please visit www.summitsofchange.ca

35,000 came in search of salvation

By Christina Toth, The Times July 16, 2010

With the summer sun dappling through dark evergreens beyond the open windows, the chorus of voices rose and spilled out of the Chapel in the Woods with the fervor and assurance of true believers. But among the rich resonance of the final hymn of How Great Thou Art, there was entwined a chord of sorrow.

For many of the men who stood and sang among the pews of the cedar sanctuary they had built, and for so many others who had literally come to the end of their road in the backwoods of Mission, they had found a new life in this Valley of Miracles.

But now, after 50 years of righting men who had fallen into the black abyss of addiction, the Salvation Army’s treatment and rehabilitation centre was closing.

The chapel fell silent on Wednesday at the end of the service, as Salvation Army leaders soberly folded the camp’s scarlet Blood and Fire flag, retiring it to history.

The centre has seen an estimated 35,000 men come into its healing heart since Capt. “Banjo” Bill Leslie founded the place in 1961.

The last group of men graduated Wednesday morning, and all that was left was a final farewell to the place, officially [named Paëtzold Centre] in recent years.

As they met with old friends and swapped memories, alumni and workers were happy to share their experiences with visitors. Story after story after story, they said the retreat had changed their lives.

Sean Russell was a young man with a lot of problems when he first arrived at the camp at the end of Stave Lake Road in 2001.

“I waited at the gate for seven hours before they let me in,” he recalled. “None of the other places would take me. I created so much havoc in Mission, none of the other places would take me.”

He slipped a couple of times. His last stay was in 2007, when he was using 12 different substances.

“I was just a mess. This place saved my life – I couldn’t do it on my own,” he said. Russell dug deep, completed 90-day recovery program, earned a counselling degree and is now an addictions counsellor at the Mission Indian Friendship Centre. Even his mom got to see him clean before she died.

Eric Stewart will celebrate 15 years of sobriety on Oct. 21.

He said he owes his life to the Army’s staff and to the camp.

“I was hooked on coke and heroin when they picked me up at Main and Hastings and brought me here,” he said. He feared it was going to be like an institution at first, but friends working in the camp kitchen told him to give it a week. Weeks turned into months and now many years of sobriety.

“So when they say miracles happen, they really do happen,” said Stewart, who is a board member at the Indian Friendship Centre.

The site was also supported by outsiders, such as Mission RCMP Insp. Pat Walsh, a community council member for the site for several years.

“I believe in the work of this facility, I have seen the miracles with my own eyes,” he said, referring to an acquaintance who received help at Miracle Valley.

The centre was part of the solution in addressing addictions, “so it will be with bit of sadness, and foreboding, that we accept the closing of this facility,” he said.

Earlier this year, Salvation Army headquarters in B.C. made the tough decision to close the treatment camp, which sits on a 77-acre parcel in rural Mission. It had grown from a rough hewn retreat where men could get sober and find Christ, to a cutting edge facility offering a 12-step, clinical therapy, art therapy and education.

But numbers fell from a peak of 200 to just 80 men in recent years, as interest has dropped in remote retreats.

The Salvation Army will continue to offer treatment services at its Belkin House and Harbour Light in Vancouver.

© Copyright (c) Abbotsford Times

Toronto, ON, July8, 2010 – The Salvation Army is thrilled to once again be partnering with MOLLY MAID and its customers in an effort to collect non-perishable food items to help restock depleted shelves this summer.
 
“The national economy is still recovering and in fact, the demand for services provided by The Salvation Army has increased by more than 25% over the past year,” says Graham Moore, Territorial Secretary for Public Relations and Development for The Salvation Army. “On behalf of the more than 1.5 million people that we serve each year, we are extremely grateful for the support of MOLLY MAID and its wonderful customers.”

“Our customers are extremely generous when it comes to our annual Christmas in July Food Drive,” says Amelia Mackie with the MOLLY MAID office in Mississauga, Ontario. “Most of our customers leave packages of food for our staff to pick up when they are having their home serviced.”

Franchises across the country have confirmed their participation and are collecting food throughout the monthh of July. 
 
MOLLY MAID has run other supportive initiatives in the past, including their 
annual winter coat drive. Since 2003, MOLLY MAID Franchise Owners and customers have donated nearly 100,000lbs of food to support the Salvation Army and other local food banks in numerous communities across the country. 
 
About MOLLY MAID 
MOLLY MAID was founded in Mississauga, Ontario, in 1979. From its early beginnings, MOLLY MAID has gone on to clean homes in seven countries on three continents including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Portugal. MOLLY MAID is the largest Canadian-based cleaning company in the world. 

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 121 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, provides shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction.

When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

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For further information please contact:  
 
Aaron Abrams
Director, Marketing and Business Development
MOLLY MAID INTERNATIONAL 
Phone: 905-847-6243 
aabrams@mollymaid.ca  

Or

Andrew Burditt
Territorial Public Relations Director
The Salvation Army
416-845-8231
andrew_burditt@can.salvationarmy.org

Toronto, ON July 6, 2010 –The Salvation Army, today, released the results of its 2010 National Red Shield Campaign, reporting a nine percent increase over 2009. The month-long annual campaign held each May raised $2.7 million in 2010, versus $2.47 million last year. The campaign came up slightly short of its $2.75 million goal, which was the estimated amount needed to serve a growing client base nationwide. This $240,000 increase in donations is welcome news given that demand for Salvation Army services grew by more than 25 percent in 2009.

“I want to recognize and thank donors who helped us achieve almost 99 percent of our fundraising goal,” says Graham Moore, Territorial Secretary for Public Relations and Development of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. “Unfortunately, over the last year, the demand for the services that we provide has continued to increase, showing just how much the recent economic recession has affected ongoing problems such as homelessness and poverty.”

The 2010 May Campaign coincided with the release of a new report, “Poverty shouldn’t be a life sentence: A report on the perceptions on homelessness and poverty in Canada,” which surveyed a representative sample of Canadians to understand where perceptions exist and realities emerge on the issues of homelessness and poverty.

In particular, the report showed that approximately three million people, or one in nine Canadian adults, have worried about or personally experienced homelessness. The results also indicate that while the public has a heightened awareness of homelessness and poverty, these two problems continue to grow.

The National Red Shield Campaign has been a May tradition in Canada for more than 90 years. Funds raised during the campaign directly support those living in poverty through Salvation Army social services like emergency shelter care, substance abuse counselling and employment training services. Each year, The Salvation Army serves more than 1.5 million people in more than 400 communities across the country.

Financial contributions can be made by visiting HYPERLINK “http://www.SalvationArmy.ca” www.SalvationArmy.ca, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769), by mailing donations to The Salvation Army, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, ON M4H 1P4 or by dropping off financial donations at the closest Salvation Army facility in your area.

Donors can also support the work of The Salvation Army by texting HOME to 45678 from most wireless phones in Canada. A $5 donation will be added to your monthly wireless phone bill.

About The Red Shield Campaign:
The National Red Shield Campaign is an annual fundraising and public awareness campaign held throughout the month of May. The Salvation Army utilizes online, phone, direct mail and door-to-door appeals to solicit donations from generous Canadians. Giving to The Salvation Army offers an opportunity to invest in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community. 86 cents of every dollar raised by The Salvation Army goes directly to support those in need.

About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and more than 120 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

- 30 -

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca

For further information please contact:

Andrew Burditt
Territorial Public Relations Director
The Salvation Army
416-845-8231
andrew_burditt@can.salvationarmy.org

Midland, ON – June 24, 2010 – Following the touch-down of a tornado in Midland, Ontario, The Salvation Army arrived on scene within an hour at Smith Park Trailer Park, where approximately 100 trailers have been damaged or destroyed.

Major Neil Evenden, of The Salvation Army in Midland, arrived on scene, and immediately called in a Salvation Army canteen from Parry sound and support equipment from Midland to assist. Further Salvation Army Emergency and Disaster Services personnel and support personnel from the Toronto region have been dispatched and are on scene to assist where needed. A reception centre has been set-up to receive those who have been displaced.

“The Salvation Army is grateful to the generous support from our partners, Tim Horton’s, Wal-Mart and McDonald’s – Elmvale and Loblaws Superstore.” said Jeff Robertson, Spokesperson for The Salvation Army.

“We continue to do all we can to assist those who have been displaced. The Salvation Army has been on site around the clock and has served hundreds of meals and continues to provided care and compassion to the victims and first responders.” says Major Neil Evenden.

The Salvation Army will continue to monitor the situation and work in cooperation with local emergency personnel to determine the best action for response as time moves forward.

To donate to the Midland Tornado Relief effort you can call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or make a donation on-line at SalvationArmy.ca

About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 121 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at SalvationArmy.ca.

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For more information please contact:
Jeff Robertson
Area Director, Public Relations
The Salvation Army
416-460-4441
jeff_robertson@can.salvationarmy.org

Captain John P. Murray, APR
Divisional Secretary for Public Relations and Development
The Salvation Army
416-998-0117
john_murray@can.salvationarmy.org

Neil W. Leduke
Director of Communications
The Salvation Army
416-578-7998
neil_leduke@can.salvationarmy.org

Major Neil Evenden
The Salvation Army, Midland
705-529-9347
neil_evenden@can.salvationarmy.org
Neil W. Leduke
Director of Communications
The Salvation Army – Ontario Central East Division
1645 Warden Avenue
Toronto ON M1R 5B3
t) 416-321-2654 x125
f) 416-321-6479

Attention News Editors/See CNW Photo Network and Archive:

The Salvation Army Responds To Tornado in Midland – UPDATE 1

MIDLAND, ON, June 24 /CNW/ – Following the touch-down of a tornado in Midland, Ontario, The Salvation Army arrived on scene within an hour at Smith Park Trailer Park, where approximately 100 trailers have been damaged or destroyed.

Major Neil Evenden, of The Salvation Army in Midland, arrived on scene, and immediately called in a Salvation Army canteen from Parry Sound and support equipment from Midland to assist. Further Salvation Army Emergency and Disaster Services personnel and support personnel from the Toronto region have been dispatched and are on scene to assist where needed. A reception centre has been set-up to receive those who have been displaced.

“The Salvation Army is grateful to the generous support from our partners, Tim Horton’s, Wal-Mart and McDonald’s – Elmvale and Loblaws Superstore,” said Jeff Robertson, Spokesperson for The Salvation Army.

“We continue to do all we can to assist those who have been displaced. The Salvation Army has been on site around the clock and has served hundreds of meals and continues to provide care and compassion to the victims and first responders,” says Major Neil Evenden.

The Salvation Army will continue to monitor the situation and work in cooperation with local emergency personnel to determine the best action for response as time moves forward.

To donate to the Midland Tornado Relief effort you can call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or make a donation on-line at SalvationArmy.ca.

About The Salvation Army:

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 121 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at SalvationArmy.ca.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information: Jeff Robertson, Area Director, Public Relations, The Salvation Army, 416-460-4441, jeff_robertson@can.salvationarmy.org; Captain John P. Murray, APR, Divisional Secretary for Public Relations and Development, The Salvation Army, 416-998-0117, john_murray@can.salvationarmy.org; Neil W. Leduke, Director of Communications, The Salvation Army, 416-578-7998, neil_leduke@can.salvationarmy.org; Major Neil Evenden, The Salvation Army, Midland, 705-529-9347, neil_evenden@can.salvationarmy.org

Midland, ON – June 23, 2010 – Following the touch-down of a reported tornado in Midland, Ontario, The Salvation Army arrived on scene within an hour at a trailer park, where 20-40 trailers have been destroyed.

Major Neil Evenden, of The Salvation Army, arrived on scene, and immediately called in a Salvation Army canteen from Parry Sound to assist. Further Salvation Army Emergency and Disaster Services personnel and support personnel from the Toronto region have been disbatched and are on scene to assist where needed. A reception centre has been set-up to receive those who have been displaced.

“We will do all we can to assist those who have been displaced. We will also provide hydration and nutrition to those involved in the disaster”, says Major Neil Evenden.

The Salvation Army will continue to monitor the situation and work in cooperation with local emergency personnel.

Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

About The Salvation Army:

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and 121 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at SalvationArmy.ca.

-30-

For more information please contact:

Jeff Robertson
Area Director, Public Relations
The Salvation Army
416-460-4441
jeff_robertson@can.salvationarmy.org

Captain John P. Murray, APR
Divisional Secretary for Public Relations and Development
The Salvation Army
416-998-0117
john_murray@can.salvationarmy.org

Neil W. Leduke
Director of Communications
The Salvation Army
416-578-7998
neil_leduke@can.salvationarmy.org

Major Neil Evenden
The Salvation Army, Midland
705-529-9347
neil_evenden@can.salvationarmy.org