BULLETIN TEMPLATE (Apr 24, 2019)

We greeted Cap't. Frenie Antoine, representing the Blue Point Headquarters of the Salvation Army, as our visiting speaker. Among the things we learned: William Booth founded the Salvation Army in 1865; he was a Methodist preacher who spent time in the slums ministering to suffering people. He befriended and urged them to stop drinking or abusing addictive substances and instead attend church where they could be spiritually cleansed and saved. The Salvation Army now works in 127 countries and can be found all over the USA, including 6 posts in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. It is still a faith-based charitable organization- a church- with a simple mission: to preach/teach the gospel of Jesus Christ; to meet human needs in His name; and to help those in need without discrimination. The Salvation Army provides relief for victims of disasters, as well as alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs, food, and shelter. Over 40,000 folks in need in Suffolk are currently being assisted, having their spiritual and material needs met by this non-profit. The Salvation Army can provide financial assistance and social worker-supervised case management to its clients. Like a church, the Salvation Army provides children with wholesome programs for free after school, ie. music- teaching kids to play instruments. Frenie pointed out that some former students who have become professional musicians return and teach new students. She told us that after college, she attended and was ordained at a seminary and then decided to serve this organization. She did allow that though a church, it is also organized and run kind of like an army. The work of the Blue Point Salvation Army is done mostly by volunteers. Funding depends on the efforts of these volunteers who do major fundraising especially at Christmas time, as bell-ringing donation-collectors. More volunteers are needed. The Blue Point Salvation Army uses funds raised to make back-to-school back pack donations, conducts toy drives, and operates food pantries that serve people in need, even those in jail. It provides groceries to families of inmates, and also serves women and veterans in need. Salvation Army stores collect and sell furniture and other home goods to raise money for its programs, including rehab programs for people struggling with substance abuse. This non-profit runs a free summer camp in New Jersey for week-long sessions, often geared to inner city kids, from the end of June to August. We were reminded that donations make up the bulk of the Salvation Army's funding. The organization prefers to use volunteers rather than hiring people to raise funds to keep all programs running. Frenie and a social worker are the only employees in the Blue Point headquarters, which covers a large area and serves many, many people in need.