Salvation Army shines hope in a dark world

As I witnessed the eyes of young children light up with excitement last week during the county’s Shop with a Cop program at the Target store in Owatonna, which is always gratifying to see, I also learned more about the dark side of how COVID-19 is ravaging our country.
Victoria Edwards of the Steele County Salvation Army told me that the need for families is up by an astounding 400% this year nationwide. In Steele County, the Salvation Army has seen an increase of 85% in requests for help this year alone. Meanwhile, the agency is projecting a 50% decline in donations across the country.
“We have people that have never asked for help before,” Edwards said. She added the greatest need is food requests.
Edwards attributes the sharp increases in need mostly to the pandemic.
COVID-19 has thrown a curveball at nearly everyone this year, and the Salvation Army has not been exempt. Safety is of utmost priority for the Salvation Army so it has ramped up efforts to slow the spread of the virus among the people it serves.
In the U.S., one in six people live in poverty, and more than 550,000 are counted as homeless. These populations severely lack access to proper care, hygiene, updated information and medical resources, which makes them more susceptible to the virus.
The Salvation Army has been developing new hygiene and cleaning protocols to help keep safe those who depend on the Army’s programs and services to survive.
One way the Salvation Army is making a local impact is through the Shop with a Cop program. This year the agency funded $3,150 to provide 21 area children with a Christmas they may not have been able to enjoy otherwise. The kids were paired up with police officers to shop for gifts for their family members.
It definitely was a priceless experience to see cops and kids filling shopping carts with gifts for mom and dad and their siblings. One could sense the pride and excitement radiating from the kids as they were able to do something extra special. And then to do it with a community hero just made it even more spectacular.
While Christmas is a joyous time of the year for many, it’s important for us to remember it’s not for some people suffering at no fault of their own. There are families who are experiencing extreme hardships, unemployment or simply don’t make enough to make ends meet.
The Salvation Army needs help with donations as well as bell ringers for the days leading up to Christmas, especially Dec. 21-23. If you’re interested in bell ringing, you can call the hotline at 507-649-2703.
It’s heartwarming to see the Salvation Army has the community covered during difficult times. The Army’s Edwards summed it up best: “We are very compassionate and understanding. If we can help families, we’ll definitely do it.”
Won’t you go in hot pursuit of spreading some holiday spirit throughout the community just like the Salvation Army is doing? You never know how it may change another person’s life.