Lie Down with the Salvation Army, Get up with Venereal Sores?

 

It seems the Salvation Army has been telling the Florence City Council how it's been reaching out to the homeless during the recent single digit weather. Really? 

It's an interesting tale, but totally untrue. A new group, which unfortunately has not until now seen the evils of the Salvationists, has been doing the leg work to find the unhoused and to transport them to the shelter, a shelter that our Florence tax dollars has helped sustain until recently.

So, tell us, New Kids on the Block, do you still think it's okay to work with the spawn of Satan?

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This usurpation of credit is nothing new for the SA. Just look at their Angel Trees:

1. The SA asks needy families to drop by to sign up for assistance.

2. Community volunteers write family names on hanging cards.

3. Local businesses purchase trees and hang the cards.

4. Patrons select a family's card and return with presents.

5. Finally, the Salvation Army "gives" out this wonderful charity.

Stay tuned...later this year Shoalanda will be handing out free money in the form of income tax refunds.

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Guten tag, I'm Rhett. I'm a five month-old male Dachshund mix in need of some new digs. Come by the Florence shelter in the industrial park to check me out:

Just How Local Are "Our" Homeless? How Cruel the Salvation Army?

 

A regular reader recently offered up this comment on Facebook:

The real issue: homeless people were moved from other locations in the country to live here, this action created federal money into the several spots in the quad cites, which were created for the money. The citizens of our community lost an support mechanism because of the greed of the planners in the area of collecting money. A good decision.

We would be greatly interested in knowing more about any effort to recruit this demographic to Florence. We have no doubt that it's true, but to what extent we don't know. If you have any pertinent information, please contact us. All replies are confidential.

A woman recently wrote this critique of the local Salvation Army:

We are treated like animals put outside everyday from 7:30 am until 5 pm no matter the weather, without as much as a sandwich or a bottle of water. This virus outbreak makes it impossible to get shelter anywhere, no library, no coffee shop, nowhere to go. I have a full time job at a major hotel, was supposed to sign lease on an apartment 3 days ago. I am now laid off, and apartment complex will not be processing leases for two weeks. I have nowhere to go all day for at least 2 weeks, or until my job goes back to normal. People are dying here, salvation army needs to step up and actually DO something to help it's own residents. They will stand under a tent in the pouring rain (last Friday), handing out jars of peanut butter, jelly and loaves of bread to random people in the community but send their residents out in the rain without even a sandwich.... pathetic.

"Treated like animals?" Is this really where you wish to donate your hard-earned funds?

Salvation Army Prejudice

We've been asked about the local Salvationist Church not feeding women the same meals as men. From what we gather this is due to poor planning and execution.

First, males and females are served meals separately. We have no problem with the segregation and understand the rationale behind it. Second, males are fed first. We're going to assume this is because there are usually three times as many males as females, and this facilitates the cleanup to get the larger group out of the way first. Again, we have no problem with this.

What we do have a problem with is those who plan and serve the meals allowing the males to return for seconds before the women are seated and served. How should this be handled?

If the normal ratio is 30 out of 40 are males, simply divide the dishes before serving. If only 28 or so of the males appear for the meal, place the extra two servings in freezer containers for another time. Then feed the females. Similarly save any food that is left for future consumption. Do not give seconds to anyone before all have been served.

Should the women be happy to get only veggies for a meal? Certainly bread and vegetables are welcome if one is hungry, but if you've just witnessed the males eating beef? 

We have never said the SA Church does no good at all. We do say they discriminate against gays, women, and goodness only knows who else. They teach their own brand of salvation and they send money to their home office in Virginia - that's quite a way from the Shoals.

Give to Room in the Inn and Room at the Table. Everything is local and all money accounted for!

A Homeless Woman Writes to Mayor Steve Holt

A woman has written Mayor Holt concerning the conditions at the local Salvation Army Church shelter in Florence. She also sent copies to District 1 representative Kaytrina Simmons and to our blog. Ms. Simmons has answered the lady we will refer to as "M.D." Mayor Holt has not, at least when we last heard from M.D. Here is her letter:

Dear Mayor Holt,

Knowing what you all know about how people at the Salvation Army are treated & you still support giving them money. You all were elected to look out for us all in the community but its obvious you dont care about the homeless. Why cant the city build a human shelter thats not religious or apart of a church you built one for animals with no problem & you can buy fireworks for the 4th of July. I hope you can live with yourselves. Just last week a man spent over $100 for pizzas because they didn't feed us. They put us out & off the premises no matter the weather at 730. We can only stay 30 days & while their they only help the Christians who participate in their church activities & then you cant come back for 1 year. Do you even know the rules, what goes on & what the city is really supporting. I know they are Christians but they do some awful stuff to their residence. What do they need a kitchen for when they cook food & take it home or have volunteer appreciation cook out & offer us nothing. And the new lady does not try to help in any way. Shes mean like a warden & wont help us find housing after you have funded them.

You may want to look into this before it is publicly exposed that you knew & did nothing to help but gave them OUR money. No food most days & now were being told we have to leave Aug 1st. Where will we go?

Please dont take a stand on something without correct information. Ask us homeless folks we will tell you.

That is a sad commentary on the situation at this shelter. If others have accounts, either good or bad, if you send them, we will publish.

The Captain Handles the Homeless Situation

We were going to end our blog with the meme, but this is so upsetting we have to add that these Salvationists should be rode out of town on a rail, not receive any of our hard earned tax dollars! How can this cult treat people that way?!!!