The Salvation Army

Since 1880, San Diegans have had the army on their side — the Salvation Army, a religious and social service organization dedicated to improving the lives of men, women and children through a variety of programs.

Year-round, the Salvation Army is at the service of those in need of support, whether its financial, spiritual, emotional or physical.

“The Salvation Army prides itself on working with the whole person, not just putting a band-aid on a particular problem,” explains Major Linda Markiewicz, the divisional commander of the Salvation Army’s Sierra del Mar division, which comprises San Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside and Imperial counties.

The Salvation Army in San Diego offers numerous programs, including the Door of Hope, a facility that houses women and children, pregnant teens and “aged-out” foster children; Adult Rehabilitation Centers, which treat alcohol- and drug-dependent adults for a minimum of six months; countless meals for seniors and the homeless; and a Bikes for Kids program that grants bicycles to underprivileged youth. Additionally, the Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center serves as many as 2,500 people a day at its 12-acre family support, education, recreation and cultural arts facility on University Avenue. The flagship Kroc Center has inspired 31 additional Kroc Centers to be built across the country.

This time of year, the Salvation Army is most visible through its red kettle campaign, identified by collection buckets and bell-ringing representatives placed outside supermarkets and on street corners. In this Internet era, an online red kettle allows the Salvation Army to raise funds virtually. Toy and food drives also abound throughout the county.

“The Salvation Army has been a part of the Christmas scene going back to wartime and the 1950s, when the red kettle was really their thing,” Markiewicz explains. “Now, as generations get older, less and less people know about it, and there’s more and more need than ever before. This year amplifies that.”

In fact, this year’s economic crisis has brought people who never before would have needed help to the Salvation Army for assistance.

“We’ve had quite a few people that were volunteers before come back and say they never thought they’d need help, but now they do,” she continues. “Already, we’re down 33 percent in funds this year, but applications for help are 200 percent greater.”

Monetary donations are in greatest need, as well as food donations that provide meals not only at holiday time but also fill the Salvation Army’s food pantry to serve hungry families throughout the year. Volunteers are also needed in a variety of capacities — from manning kettles and counting money to serving meals — for programs now and in the long term.

No matter how people decide to help, Markiewicz assures that the benefits reaped will be endless.

“It’s just like when you put change in the kettle, change comes out,” she says. “We’re here to change lives, and that benefits the community. It’s all about seeing someone make it, not just for a day, but for a lifetime.”

For volunteer opportunities throughout the Salvation Army, please call 619-231-6000 or visit www.sandiego.salvationarmy.org.

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