Salvation Army Observes International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

The Salvation Army will observe the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17th, a day designated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote awareness of the need to eliminate poverty and destitution in all countries. Year-round, The Salvation Army provides social services in Canada in order to help people in need and put an end to poverty. The Salvation Army’s work is highlighted in the organization’s latest Annual Review, released this month, which details its critical work in Canada within the past year.

“The Salvation Army is moved to support the U.N.’s effort to shine light on ending poverty and raise awareness to the fact that millions of people across the world suffer from extreme poverty every day,” said Commissioner Susan McMillan, Territorial Commander for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. “We live in a developed nation, but one in 11 Canadians lives in poverty. It’s the root cause that puts basic human dignity out of reach for so many people, making access to everyday needs, such as food, clothing and shelter, difficult. On October 17th and beyond, we will continue to do our part to restore hope and dignity to those in poverty, who are too often overlooked.”

The Salvation Army’s newly released 2013-2014 Annual Review reveals that the social service provider helped nearly 1.8 million vulnerable people in Canada last year, including individuals living on the streets and families in need of food.  Throughout the year, The Salvation Army served nearly 2.8 million meals, provided 5,724 beds and assisted 1,375,000 persons with food, clothing or practical assistance.