Attention News Editors:

Salvation Army supports proposed changes to Disbursement Quota
Changes Will Provide Increased Flexibility in Meeting Needs of Canadians

OTTAWA, March 5 /CNW/ - The proposed changes to the Disbursement Quota announced yesterday in the 2010 federal budget are widely supported by The Salvation Army. The removal of the quota will provide The Salvation Army, one of Canada’s largest charities, with increased flexibility in meeting the needs of Canadians during a time when more and more people are turning to charities for help.

“We are very pleased with this announcement,” said Colonel Floyd Tidd, Chief Secretary of The Salvation Army. “The proposed changes will allow us to better respond to the needs of the people we serve in 400 communities across Canada.”

The Salvation Army was also encouraged by the federal government’s plan to introduce a Prime Ministerial award for volunteerism. The award, announced in Wednesday’s Speech from the Throne, will “recognize the enormous contribution volunteers make to Canada.” While the announcement of the new award was a small part of the speech, the initiative is hoped to have a considerable impact on encouraging volunteerism in the charitable and non-profit sector.

“Volunteers play a vital role in every corner of our organization from program delivery to fundraising to goverance, and we certainly support the government’s initiative to recognize the incredible contribution volunteers make to communities across Canada,” said Colonel Tidd. “Canadians generously give 1.3 million volunteer hours to The Salvation Army every year.”

As the largest non-governmental direct social service provider in Canada, The Salvation Army depends on thousands of volunteers every year. The iconic Christmas Kettle campaign, which raised more than $18 million in 2009 in Canada, relies on tens of thousands of volunteer hours to staff the red kettles across Canada.

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 119 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 www.SalvationArmy.ca

For further information: Michael Maidment, Federal Government Relations, (613) 795-8898, michael_maidment@can.salvationarmy.org
Captain John P. Murray, APR, (416) 998-0117, John_Murray@can.salvationarmy.org

Following Chile’s devastating earthquake on February 27, the immediate need is still food, water and medicine.

The Salvation Army has been working in Chile since 1909 and its emergency services were immediately mobilized to provide support and comfort. Salvation Army personnel are fine, but a lot of Salvation Army properties were damaged.

Concepcion is one of the hardest hit areas and tents have been set up to house 60 displaced families on the patio of a nearby Salvation Army church. The Salvation Army is also carrying out relief work in the city of Os Valparaiso, on the west coast of Chile.

The Salvation Army will provide financial assistance and ongoing relief in the medium and long term.

Donations in support of the relief effort in Chile can be made by visiting www.SalvationArmy.ca, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY or at you nearest Salvation Army facility. Please specify that your donation is for the Chile Earthquake Relief Fund.

A 40′ container packed and sent on November 30 has arrived safely at The Salvation Army’s Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe. The Howard Hospital continues to be one of the only fully operational public hospitals in the country, providing medical services for 155,000 patient visits a year.

The shipment took three months to arrive. The container was filled to capacity. It included an ultrasound machine, ECG machine, fetal monitor, 3,000+ boxes of medicine and medical supplies, crutches, canes, an electric scooter, toilet paper, scrubs, used clothes, 700 pairs of shoes, educational supplies and more…

The Salvation Army in Canada has a working relationship with a group of people from the Trillium Hospital in Mississauga. This group (headed up by Dr. Michael Weinberg and his friend Bert Amato) solicit donations of money and goods on behalf of Howard Hospital. The Salvation Army holds the funds they raise. When they have gathered enough material to fill a container, The Salvation Army provides volunteers to load it, and then pays the shipping invoices from the funds held for this group.

Following a devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile during the early hours of Saturday morning (27 February), affecting around two million people, Salvation Army emergency services were immediately mobilized to provide support and comfort.

International financial assistance is already on the way from The Salvation Army international headquarters in London.

The earthquake epicentre was approximately 90 miles (150 kilometers) north west of the city of Concepción in Southern Chile which is approximately 350 miles (approximately 600 kilometers) from the capital of Santiago, ‘nevertheless, the quake was of a 7.0 magnitude in the Santiago metropolitan region’, says the Chief Secretary of The Salvation Army South America West Territory, Lieut-Colonel F. Bradford Bailey .

The area most affected by the earthquake was between the cities Os Temuco and Chillan, with Concepcion hardest hit, reports the South America West Territory Secretary for Business Administration Lieut-Colonel Maria Alarcon. She adds, ‘I have never seen such destruction here before, though I have worked in many disaster situations - they don’t compare with this’. The Lieut-Colonel says the immediate need is still food, water and medicine.

Lieut-Colonel Alarcon also reports that tents to house 60 displaced families have been set up on the patio of the Hualpencillo Corps near Concepcion and that Salvation Army officers are travelling from Puerto Montt and Osorno, in Southern Chile, to Concepcion to join The Salvation Army emergency relief response team.

‘Our officers are all fine, but a lot of Salvation Army properties are damaged especially the older ones made of adobe bricks. The worst damage in Santiago has occurred at Quinta Normal and Lo Vial Corps, and El Faro Men’s Residence,’ adds the Lieut-Colonel.

Territorial Commander for the South American West Territory, Commissioner Jorge A. Ferreira (currently in Ecuador) reports that The Salvation Army is also carrying out emergency relief work in the city of Os Valparaiso on the west coast of Chile. The Commissioner adds that it had been planned to dedicate a recently arrived mobile Salvation Army emergency services canteen (a donation from USA Southern Territory) on 4 March, ‘however, this is now already being used to serve those in need’.

In the early hours following the earthquake Lieut-Colonel Bailey said that the immediate Salvation Army response included providing food, water, first aid kits, emergency packets, blankets, candles and other urgently required supplies.

He added that people had flocked to the streets ‘as numerous aftershocks continue to pummel’ the country, severely affecting older buildings in the more historical areas of the larger cities.

Water, gas and electricity were immediately cut off in areas affected by the earthquake and will stay disconnected until relevant emergency crews can assess the damage and prioritise immediate needs.

Lieut-Colonel Bailey said that it has been extremely difficult to communicate with Salvation Army centres throughout the country as all phone lines (mobile and land) have been disrupted. ‘Some computer based communication, especially Skype, has been providing an alternative way for those in other countries to communicate with people in Chile.’

The emergency services coordinator for The Salvation Army International Headquarters (IHQ) in London, Lieut-Colonel Mike Caffull, reports that IHQ has already agreed to provide financial assistance for the Chilean Salvationists relief response. He says assistance coordinated by the IHQ emergency team will also be provided regarding ongoing relief in the medium and long term.

Please pray for the people of Chile.

Following a devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile during the early hours of Saturday morning (27 February) Salvation Army emergency services were immediately mobilized to provide support and comfort.

Chief Secretary for The Salvation Army in South America West, Lieut-Colonel F. Bradford Bailey says that the immediate response is to provide food, water, first aid kits, emergency packets, blankets, candles and other urgently required supplies. A recently arrived mobile canteen (a donation from the USA Southern Territory) is one of the key relief vehicles .

The earthquake epicenter was approximately 90 miles (150 kilometres) north west of the city of Concepción in Southern Chile. Lieut-Colonel Bailey says that this is approximately 350 miles (600 kilometres) from the capital of Santiago, ‘nevertheless, the quake was of a 7.0 magnitude in the Santiago metropolitan region’. He adds that people have flocked to the streets ‘as numerous aftershocks continue to pummel’ the country, severely affecting older buildings in the more historical areas of the larger cities.

Water, gas and electricity has been cut off in affected areas and will stay disconnected until relevant emergency crews can assess the damage and prioritize immediate needs.

The colonel says that in these early hours after the quake it has been extremely difficult to communicate with Salvation Army centres throughout the country as all phone lines (mobile and land) have been disrupted.

‘However, preliminary reports are reassuring in terms of Salvation Army personnel.’

Donations in support of the relief effort in Chile can be made by visiting www.SalvationArmy.ca, by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY or at you nearest Salvation Army facility. Please specify that your donation is for the Chile Earthquake Relief Fund.

It was a difficult year for many in Canada. In 2009 hundreds of thousands of Canadians worried about their jobs and their savings. According to Stats Canada, “The Canadian economy lost a startling 129,000 jobs in January, almost all full-time positions and a record single-month total.” Read the full story

Halifax, December 9, 2009

Rain, snow or shine, The Santa Shuffle was held Saturday, December 5th in 35 cities across Canada for The Salvation Army in an ongoing partnership with The Running Room. Halifax, Saint John, Moncton and Fredericton all hosted events again this year.

The run in Halifax has grown so much that the 2009 event was relocated to The Port of Halifax…where over 600 runners, shufflers, pets and strollers turned out in their wildest Christmas gear… and in the Christmas spirit.

Across The Maritimes nearly 900 people participated raising about $50,000 for The Salvation Army. Across Canada, some 10,000 runners raised over $400,000. Thank you!

CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE OUR ON-LINE PHOTO ALBUM.

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

Halifax, November 1, 2009

The Maritime Salvation Army was one of the chosen recipients of special grant funding provided by The W. Garfield Weston Foundation. In response to the challenges created by the current economic downturn, the Foundation is providing additional support to more than 120 programs offered through registered Canadian charities.

The Weston Family owns George Weston Limited which today includes not only the family’s original baking company but also Loblaw Companies Limited.

The Salvation Army is encouraged by this practical demonstration of support. Programs at Salvation Army Centres in Summerside, Sussex and Spryfield will greatly benefit from this recent injection of resources.

The Foundation established this special one-time grant program to assist charitable organizations who provide the necessities of life to families struggling with basic human needs: food, clothing, shelter.

“Our family has had a close relationship with The Salvation Army and its colleagues for over 40 years. We are delighted to be able to support those in the Spryfield community”, said W. Galen Weston, President of the Foundation.

Mr. Weston was in Halifax touring the chain of Superstores and making personal contact with The Salvation Army to acknowledge their work within the community. A cheque presentation was made at the Lower Sackville Superstore in Lower Sackville.

“These funds are a much needed support to the new initiatives we have launched in Spryfield,” says Major Larry Martin, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army Maritime Division. “Diverse needs are being presented and we need to be equipped to respond to the growing demands. Gifts such as this will enable The Salvation Army to continue to meet human need and be a transforming influence in our community.”

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

Why read the annual review? Much of The Salvation Army’s work takes place with vulnerable and marginalized people whose problems are often hidden from the rest of society. In 2008/09 a slumping Canadian economy turned into a recession and, more than ever, Salvation Army services were needed. In Canada and Bermuda, 1.5 million people were helped by The Salvation Army. Read the full story