The Salvation Army Corps (Operating Unit) is the principal vehicle for the delivery of the services in most communities. It is the church home of Salvationists and center for the compassionate ministries of The Salvation Army in the local community. The Corps provides opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, Christian education, age specific group activities, and social service outreach to the community. Services provided through the Corps include comprehensive assistance and case management in the form of material, emotional, and spiritual forms for distressed people, regardless of race or creed, age or gender, whose need is brought to the Army's attention either by referral or direct contact. The scope of the service is determined by the needs of the community and by available resources. In communities where there are no specialized institutional services or central social service department, the corps social services program may be expanded to include family service, service to the homeless, emergency shelters, missing persons service and Christmas assistance as well as other seasonal activities.
Housing and Residential Services
Services are rendered through the corps or command and include Short-term Housing Facilities, which provide housing for individuals or families during a period of crisis. The unit may be part of a larger program such as a Corps, a Social Services Department or an Adult Rehabilitation Center, or may be in a separate building.
Disaster Shelters are immediate temporary shelter accommodations often provided in cooperation with private and public disaster response organizations. Services include accommodations, meals, toilet/bathing facilities, along with casework and referral for available community assistance.
Emergency Shelters, which provide immediate crisis shelter, care overnight and up to thirty days, for individuals/families who may be transient and/or homeless because of seasonal/chronic problems. Services include accommodations, meals, toilet/bathing facilities, clothing/laundry, along with casework and information/referral to other community resources.
Temporary Housing is shelter care of up to ninety days, for individuals/families who may be homeless during a time of crisis such as dislocation or family disruption. Services include accommodations, meals, toilet/bathing facilities, clothing/ laundry, along with case management, counseling, education and utilization of community resources.
Transitional Housing is a residential program of up to twenty-four months, for individuals/families who may be homeless because of a variety of circumstances including but not limited to family disruption, substance abuse, unemployment and/or shortage of affordable housing. Facilities may include single rooms or apartments. Program services, which focus on assisting individuals/families in moving to stable housing and self-sufficiency include: housing accommodations, child care, education, job development, case management, counseling and linkages with other community resources.
Children’s’, Veterans’ or Group Homes are residential facilities that provide care and services exclusively for a specific population. Salvation Army residential programs include group homes, emergency protective shelters, a veterans center, teen parenting center and other such facilities that offer 24-hour care. Intake includes an assessment that determined the program to be the most appropriate arrangement for the clients. Some programs may include residences which provides a supervised program of group living for a small number of youth or adults whose common physical, mental, spiritual, social or behavioral condition indicates the need for a particular kind of oversight, care, treatment, education or support service.
Child Care, Family and Youth Services
Services are rendered through the corps or command and include Day Care for Children are licensed, organized, supervised programs of care and developmental opportunities provided outside the home for part of the day. Care is provided to children of all ages, including infants and toddlers, pre-schoolers and school age children before and after school. The program also includes early childhood education to prepare children to enter public schools. Day care is provided in specialized centers, other supervised locations and designated areas of appropriate multi-purpose facilities.
Day Care for Adults are programs providing social support, spiritual enrichment, and learning or cultural opportunities. Centers that are appropriately licensed may provide some health related care. The programs are designed to reduce loneliness and isolation, provide respite for care-givers, and prevent premature and unnecessary institutionalization.
Older Adult Ministries include services, the goals of which may vary from the short-range objectives of promoting sound personality and social development to the longer-range objective of rental housing for older adults. These programs may include the weekly "drop in club" at corps community centers, or the center with facilities and staff for a daily schedule of activities geared to the social, spiritual, physical and mental health, the proper nourishment and the cultural interests of older adults. Housing for the elderly includes residential accommodations, feeding arrangements and social services necessary for the comfort of people in their senior years.
Youth Groups are programs to provide individuals with a variety of group activities with the primary objectives of Christian education, leadership training, and personal and social development. The programs for differing age groups include worship, recreation and education.
Disaster Assistance Services
Salvationists and volunteer personnel with expertise and training in emergency disaster services provide victim identification, missing persons services, food, housing, furnishings, clothing, counseling, referral and spiritual comfort to disaster victims. Services are coordinated with other disaster service organizations to avoid duplication and to maximize service delivery. The Salvation Army collaborates with private and public disaster services organizations including but not limited to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD).
