COVID-19 Grants: The Salvation Army Centre of Hope
COVID-19 Grants: The Salvation Army Centre of Hope
Emergency shelter space, substance abuse recovery supports, and housing stability resources are just a few of the services The Salvation Army Centre of Hope provides to some of our most vulnerable community members. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only increased the demand for these services, but greatly increased the cost of providing them. Their COVID-19 related costs are quickly approaching the $200,000 mark, an absolutely devastating amount for any charitable organization.
Salvation Army volunteer serving meals outside the Emergency Disaster Services truck.
“Typically we serve meals two nights a week. For the past month and a half, we have been serving these meals seven days a week, averaging between 180-200 people nightly,” says Jon DeActis, Executive Director of The Salvation Army Centre of Hope. “As we move forward, our COVID-19 specific costs are approaching the $200,000 mark, an absolutely devastating amount for any charitable organization.”
With help from an LCF COVID-19 Response Fund grant, the Centre of Hope was able to purchase the sanitizer, masks, and gloves they needed to protect their staff and continue serving their clients safely.
“So much of the supplies we needed were out of stock everywhere. At one point we got very concerned about the lack of sanitizer,” says Jon. “This grant allowed us some breathing room as we quickly realized we were going to have much larger costs due to the pandemic. We would have struggled far more to safely provide for our clients and staff had it not been for the LCF COVID-19 Response Fund.”
Despite the stress and hardship, the Salvation Army Centre of Hope has been able to persevere and forge ahead while ensuring the health and safety of client and staff alike.
“I am happy to say that we have not had any positive COVID-19 cases at all at the Centre, nor in any of the shelters,” says Jon. “Thank you LCF, Lawson Foundation, Westminster College Foundation, and everyone who contributed, for your ongoing support.”
If you would like to support The Salvation Army Centre of Hope directly, please go to their website for information on how you can help: https://centreofhope.ca/community-donations/