To read Fay’s Promoted to Glory notice, click here

Salvation Army disaster assistance teams in the United States are on the ground in Omaha, Nebraska, after dozens of tornadoes tore through suburban and business areas, farmlands. Thankfully, despite a building collapsing with dozens of people inside, and the destruction of more than 150 homes, no fatalities have been reported. The Salvation Army’s Disaster Assistance Centre in the Blair/Lakeland community is open all day and into the evening, serving breakfasts donated by McDonald’s and providing those impacted with assistance and support. Lunches and dinners will also be available, with Salvation Army meal trucks delivering meals to individuals and families in need around the Blair-Lakeland area as they continue working to clean up their properties in the wake of the storms. Disaster relief teams have also been going from house to house, handing out food and bottled water and supporting recovery/clean-up efforts. They also teamed up with Raising Cane (fast food restaurant) to serve hundreds of meals to recovery workers, volunteers and community members in the area. In West Omaha, the drive-thru Disaster Relief Centre has been providing goods including bottled water, non-perishable foods, cleaning supplies, and personal-care items to those affected in the area.

The Salvation Army’s General Manager of Family Violence, Lorrinda Hamilton, has recommended expanding the Army’s early intervention program, the Alexis Family Violence Response Model, which only operates in Victoria. Her comments come after The Salvation Army welcomed the Albanese Government’s announcement that the Leaving Violence Payment will now be permanent. The Alexis model was developed in conjunction with Victoria Police 10 years ago to arrest the critical need for a more coordinated, effective and specialist response to family violence, particularly when there is a serious level of risk. The Salvation Army has eight specialist family violence practitioners embedded in various Family Violence Units across Victoria’s Bayside Peninsula and Inner Gippsland. The Alexis model specifically targets families experiencing repeat incidents of violence where multiple complex and intersectional vulnerabilities impact their ability to engage effectively with mainstream services. The model provides a whole-of-family response, working towards reducing risk to women and children and holding perpetrators of family violence to account through assertive outreach and interventions. “We know programs such as Operation Alexis save lives,” Lorrinda said. “A great start would be to have this rolled out nationally, to ensure that not only victim-survivors get the help they require but also the perpetrators of such violence are given opportunities to engage in behavioural change.” Of all family and domestic assault hospitalisations in 2021–22, 73 per cent (4700) were for females, and 27 per cent (1700) were for males, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. “We know one of the main reasons women stay in violent relationships is that they are placed in the precarious situation of choosing between poverty and safety,” Lorrinda said. “While the $5000 payment certainly alleviates some of that stress, it does not address women’s long-term needs. Ensuring that working age payments, especially JobSeeker and Youth Allowance, are adequate to cost of living is critical to women remaining safe.” The Salvation Army is also seeking an immediate increase in investment in frontline services, including: • An increase in the stock of crisis and transitional accommodation for victim-survivors. • Increased investment in primary prevention, early intervention and community education. • Investment to diversify modalities of intervention for persons using violence. • An increased number of specialist services that support children and young people exposed to, or who have used violence. The Salvation Army is deeply committed to addressing family violence in Australia. It continues to deliver specialised services around the country for men, women and children, including programs, refuges, case management, supported accommodation, early intervention and brokerage programs. For more information on Salvation Army family and domestic violence services, click here Men’s Services Abuse and violence towards an intimate partner or family member is an ongoing crisis in Australia, with women experiencing violence at the hands of an intimate partner at a much higher rate than men. However, men can often experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner or family member, too. If you are experiencing violence, there is help available to you. 1800RESPECT can refer you to services that can help or click here

During their school holiday period, friends Addi, Lacy, Keira and Heidi found out about the work of their local Salvation Army and decided they wanted to help. During Anzac Day week, the four baked and sold Anzac cookies and helped their parents at a Salvos Soup Stall. Lacy Carroll heard about the work of the local 2508 Salvos mission in town from her mum, who works for Equilibrium Healthcare in Helensburgh, south of Sydney. Earlier this year, Equilibrium Healthcare partnered with 2508 Salvos by generously offering Mission Leader Lauren Martin and Community Caseworker Niasha Love the use of a consulting room at the centre when needed. “This has been wonderful,” says Lauren. “We don’t have an office space in Helensburgh, and we can’t afford to rent one. Partnering with Equilibrium Healthcare has allowed us to meet community members in a confidential, professional space to talk about what is going on in their lives and how The Salvation Army, or other referral agencies, might be able to assist.” It has also paved the way for doctors and other health professionals at Equilibrium Healthcare to encourage people in need to make an appointment with The Salvation Army. As a result, several patients are now receiving assistance and support from the Salvos. Equilibrium Healthcare nurse Jackie Carroll could see how the Salvos were bringing hope to the local community and became passionate about assisting through fundraising. She suggested to her daughter, Lacy, that they hold an Anzac biscuit stall in front of the centre during the week of Anzac Day. It was a huge hit! Lacy involved friends Addi Forbes and Heidi Brassett-Xavier and said she had lots of fun using the EFTPOS machine and wanted to be part of helping people in need, like people experiencing homelessness. On Anzac Day, another friend, Keira Quayle, joined them and their parents for a Soup Stall after the Anzac Day dawn service. “It was really fun, and I liked to see what people liked to eat what we had on the soup table,” Addi said, adding that she felt it was important to assist The Salvation Army “because they help the homeless.” Keira said it was wonderful to “sell all the nice soups to people and to get all the money to donate to the poor.” 2508 Salvos Mission Leader Lauren Martin said: “This amazing group of friends, and their parents, raised just over $1,000 for our local Red Shield Appeal, which is incredible because everything we do here is funded through donations and fundraisers.” If you or your business would like to partner with the Salvos or to find out more about what The Salvation Army does in the 2508 area, contact Mission Leader Lauren Martin: lauren.martin@salvationarmy.org.au

The Salvation Army’s retail operation, Salvos Stores, this week opened its 400th store in Australia, with plans to open an additional 25-plus stores by the end of 2024. The store on vibrant High Street in Northcote, Melbourne, was officially opened on Tuesday 30 April. It is the 11th new store this year. “It was an amazing day at Northcote,” said Territorial Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas. “Huge congratulations to Matt Davis (Salvos Stores National Director) and his team. “[The stores] are a front door for the Salvos, and I love how they unashamedly say and live who we are. “[There’s] great culture, real community, a key focus and true to our mission ... helping so many people. [We have] more stores than most major retailers, and we’re still growing!” In 2023, Salvos Stores raised more than $44 million through sales to directly support The Salvation Army’s network of more than 2000 community programs and services around Australia. Over the years, Salvos Stores have provided Australians with a diverse range of pre-loved treasures, from clothing and accessories to household items and furniture, all at accessible prices. “We’re absolutely thrilled to celebrate the opening of our 400th store in Australia,” Salvos Stores National Director Matt Davis said. “As we continue to expand our network across the country, we trust we can continue to offer local communities a great place to shop, donate and connect, all while making a difference to people and the planet.” Salvos Stores have been enabling reuse throughout Australia for more than 130 years. In the last year alone, the Australian community has helped Salvos Stores divert over 42 million items from landfill, which translates to a reduction of 583,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Now, with 400 retail stores nationwide and an online store listing thousands of new items daily, Salvos Stores remain committed to providing great value, environmentally friendly products to communities around Australia. “Our customers play a vital role in the circular economy, which is one of the many reasons why Salvos Stores believes in keeping the community at the forefront of everything we do,” Matt said. “Their contributions not only benefit the environment but also enable us to fund essential community programs that make a real difference in people's lives. We look forward to welcoming the community to our newest store to celebrate this incredible milestone together!” To find your nearest store or shop online with Salvos Stores, visit salvosstores.com.au.

BY ANTHONY CASTLE A canvas mural being displayed along a main road into Karratha is supporting The Salvation Army’s advocacy and social justice work in the Western Australia town. The canvas, entitled ‘Everyone Deserves a Safe Home’, was organised by the Pilbara Family Domestic Violence Network, which works closely with Karratha Salvos. During last year’s Homelessness Week, the Karratha Salvos team held a housing and support services expo. Facilitated by the Doorways team, the expo was a collaboration with many mission expressions across Karratha. As part of the event, the Pilbara Family Domestic Violence Network arranged an art station to collect drawings of children imagining a safe home, using illustrations from community lunches as well. A selection of those pictures was used to create the canvas for all to see. The art piece supports The Salvation Army’s advocacy and social justice work for the community’s most vulnerable. “We met some lovely community members [at the expo] and had a good opportunity to network and get to know the other services available in town,” said Danielle Black, Doorways Coordinator. “We have such an amazing community services sector here in Karratha, and it is because of the passionate staff that go above and beyond to build genuine connections and get good outcomes for our community members.” Karratha is a city in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Regarding the housing crisis, Karratha leads the nation with an annual rise of 37.5 per cent in rent prices, reaching a median weekly rent of $1100 and less than 0.5 per cent of the total housing stock available to rent. Those wanting to learn more and support the partnerships can take The Salvation Army’s homelessness quiz, or sign the petition to fund a pipeline of at least 25,000 social and affordable homes each year.

Portland Corps’ regional support vehicle, ‘Captain Sal,’ has recently been in service at the local Magistrates’ Court in the south-western Victorian coastal town and will continue to do so regularly. The 12-metre bus will appear on Cliff Street outside the courthouse every Tuesday from 9.30am until 12.30pm to offer its support for people attending court that day. Two gazebos are set up beside the bus, with heaters, chairs and tables underneath, so people can shelter from the cold weather. An office in the back of the vehicle offers a private meeting place for people and their legal representatives to have a conversation, with time slots available to book. Portland Corps Officer Captain Peter Stamp said they originally developed Captain Sal with the Alcoa Foundation as a COVID-19 relief project. “That was so we could visit the smaller towns in the Glenelg Shire to be able to offer supports to community members,” he said. “Captain Sal has been off the road now, probably for about a year and a half.” “We’ve used that time to reassess the project post-COVID and move into more of a community development model rather than a COVID relief model. We’re looking at what are the other needs within the community that we could try and address. “One of the things we’ve been wanting to address is being able to provide support for those waiting for their court appointments down at the courthouse, and that was really around providing shelter out of the wind and the rain.” A team of two to three people will be stationed at the bus and will provide support. “If somebody’s coming for their court appointment, they’re by themselves, and they’re a bit nervous, it’s just having somebody there to have a cuppa with, have a chat and try to settle themselves before they go into that space,” Peter said. “If people are needing some extra support, we have the opportunity to support people outside of that day, so we can make an appointment to catch up with them later.” This article by Charlie Sawyer-Bassett first appeared in the Portland Observer

Salvation Army world leaders General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham recently visited the Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand Territory, where they had previously served as territorial leaders. The leaders were delighted to return to familiar faces, sights and sounds. The visit began with a Sunday meeting at Singapore Central Corps and a special night to welcome the Buckinghams. Gatherings followed in Chiang Mai, Thailand – Officers’ Councils, the Ordination and Commissioning of the Defenders of Justice Session of cadets, and the opening and dedication of the Chiang Mai Central Corps. The first officers from Thailand were among the 10 cadets commissioned. The General reminded Salvationists to continue to praise, pray and proclaim the message of salvation, to be a people of the Word and to be a holy and serving generation. Commissioner Buckingham shared how we can build hope through our relationship with God, the Scriptures and our life experiences. Paws for the Kingdom What started as a “crazy idea” for The Salvation Army Sherman Avenue Corps in Washington D.C. has turned into a successful and popular community outreach event. In October 2021, the corps was seeking new avenues for outreach in the local community. Then, Sage arrived, the adopted dog of Corps Officers Major Srikant and Captain Indrani Bhatnagar. On their walks with Sage, the officers quickly noticed an increase in conversation and connection with others walking their dogs. The ‘Paw Parties’ program was born – an outreach to bring people together and to the corps. The Paw Party, or Paw Program, is a monthly gathering featuring music, snacks and drinks for both dogs and dog parents, water play and games. The Sherman Avenue Corps now owns a puppy pool to go along with treats and toys, and local pet stores have donated items including gift certificates that can be used as door prizes. The parties have been held at both the corps and within a local dog park, with each month following a theme such as ‘Mardi Paws’ and ‘St Pawtrick’s Day’. Not every month is explicitly tied to an existing holiday, but the association helps to raise awareness and establish relationships that The Salvation Army perhaps would not encounter through other means. “We have gained corps members, many volunteers, and program members throughout this special program,” Captain Bhatnagar said. “We are beyond blessed by the Lord for using us in many ways for his people.” Salvation Army attends Global Christian Forum Commissioner Jane Paone, Secretary for International Ecumenical Relations, Colonel Alfred Banda, Territorial Commander of Zambia Territory, and Dr Petra Brooke, Norway, Iceland and The Færoes Territory, represented The Salvation Army at the recent Global Christian Forum (GCF) in Accra, Ghana. The GCF is an international ecumenical body that brings together global Christian churches and organisations from all the major streams of world Christianity. It is an opportunity for a wide array of Christian leaders to meet and nurture unity by fostering mutual respect and understanding and addressing common challenges. The theme of the 25th GCF was, ‘That the World May Know’ (John 17:23 ESV). “The theme and messages were made more poignant with a visit to one of the Cape Coast slave-trade castles,” shared Commissioner Danone. “Prayers of lament and reconciliation were offered in the Methodist church, built above the dungeons where thousands of slaves had cried out for freedom and justice before being deported on ships. All denominations present were saddened by the magnitude of this inhumane operation, aware that modern slavery continues even today. In a moment of lament that we had not treated our brothers and sisters as those made in the image of God, various church leaders led a time of repentance and heartfelt prayers.” The Salvation Army around the world actively participates in anti-human trafficking ministries and works to help combat modern slavery. Fighting malaria Malaria is a life-threatening disease that is particularly deadly for young children and pregnant women. The #malaria parasite is spread to humans by certain types of mosquitoes. Some areas of the West African country of Mali experience seasonally high rates of malaria. The Salvation Army World Services Office (SAWSO) recently funded a project to support the government of Mali’s malaria prevention efforts. Funds provided to The Salvation Army in Mali allowed their clinic staff to distribute mosquito bed nets, mosquito coils and insecticide sprays to vulnerable communities. Chief of Staff visits Korea Territory The Chief of the Staff (Commissioner Edward Hill) and World Secretary for Women’s Ministries (Commissioner Shelley Hill) visited The Salvation Army’s Korea Territory last month. More than 200 Salvationists attended the leaders’ first Sunday holiness meeting at Yeongdeungpo Corps. Commissioner Shelley Hill shared insights from her spiritual journey, acknowledging life’s fluctuations while highlighting God’s constant guidance and grace, steadfastly believing in his unwavering guidance in our daily endeavours. The Chief of the Staff’s Bible message, ‘Christ, my Pilot’, emphasised the crucial role of Jesus Christ as the ultimate guide in our spiritual journey, enabling us to follow his teachings and navigate life’s challenges. The following two-day Territorial Women’s Rally – themed ‘Let Your Life Flourish!’ – took place at the Baekhwasan Retreat Centre, where more than 830 Salvationists participated. Other events included a United Officers’ Councils for five of the territory’s seven divisions (270 participants) and councils for the other two divisions (200 participants). During these councils, the Chief of the Staff delivered a presentation on ‘The Salvation Army’s Current Affairs’, providing an overview of the structure of International Headquarters, current and future priorities, expectations of leaders and reasons to celebrate.

BY ANTHONY CASTLE The Salvation Army’s Policy and Advocacy Team has provided a submission to the South Australian Government in response to a discussion paper on raising the age of criminal responsibility and implementing a diversion model. Children as young as 10 can face prison under the current law, with no current alternative diversion model for young people in the State. Mieke Waters is a Policy and Advocacy Advisor, starting with The Salvation Army’s Policy and Advocacy Team earlier this year, and prepared the submission for the inquiry. “I am passionate about youth justice, having worked in youth homelessness in the past,” explains Mieke. “The justice system can be a life sentence. It is criminogenic itself. The younger you are, the more susceptible you are to peer influence and to peer pressure. It can set young people on a damaging path.” Early contact with the criminal justice system is a strong predictor of reoffending and future criminalisation. The inquiry proposed raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 years and implementing alternative diversion models to prevent young people from being given criminal penalties such as incarceration. The Salvation Army’s submission stresses safeguarding children and young people at the heart of diversion responses. “Twelve years old isn’t enough,” says Mieke. “Children and young people aren’t fully cognitively developed. They just don’t have the same levels of reasoning as adults. When you look at the pure figures for the younger cohort in the 10 to 13 age range, there’s not very many children incarcerated, but when they are, it sets them on a negative trajectory and can lead to ongoing interactions with the criminal justice system when they get older.” The average number of young Australians aged 10 and over that were in detention in mid-2023 was 812, with 478 being First Nations young people. A low minimum age of criminal responsibility disproportionately impacts children and young people experiencing disadvantage. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. “Young people who have contact with the criminal justice system are often experiencing significant disadvantage,” says Mieke. “They become entrenched in the justice system when they are met with harsh criminal penalties, which causes further disadvantage. For young people in the 14 to 18 years age range, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were 19 times more likely to be in the youth justice system in 2022.” Almost four in five young people in detention on an average night in 2023 were unsentenced, awaiting their initial court appearance or sentencing. Young people who are detained and not yet convicted are exposed to cultures of offending with little access to support. “We want to keep young people in a safe space to encourage positive behaviours and learn about the consequences of their behaviour, rather than putting them all in a prison with little access to rehabilitation.” – Mieke Waters “If they’re unsentenced, they don’t have adequate access to rehabilitation,” says Mieke. “They don’t have access to services. There’s no plan to work toward. Our frontline youth services often see justice system responses using prisons as holding spaces for young people who don’t have suitable housing.” There remains a strong link between young people experiencing unstable housing and homelessness and later involvement with the criminal justice system. The current housing crisis can be a factor in young people experiencing disadvantage and encountering the justice system, and the justice system becomes a contributing factor to young people’s ongoing homelessness. “My biggest worry is that if we don’t get this right, they get stuck in a damaging cycle. Once you’ve been in the justice system, if you come out and you don’t have safe housing, you don’t have access to food or support, it’s hard to live on the outside, and sometimes offending becomes necessary to survive.” The Salvation Army supports a model where the minimum age of criminal responsibility is increased to a minimum of 14 years. The Salvation Army has recommended an alternative diversionary model should be implemented, with safeguarding children being a central component. “What we want to see is a suitable response to offending that diverts young people out of the justice system,” Mieke explains. “If they come into contact with the youth justice system, they’re making connections, there’s role modelling and peer influence. We want to keep young people in a safe space to encourage positive behaviours and learn about the consequences of their behaviour, rather than putting them all in a prison with little access to rehabilitation.”

BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE Salvation Army staff offering a workplace training and life skills program to young people are incredibly supportive, says a graduate of the program. Jordi undertook Tools for the Trade in 2023 at Peninsula Youth Services in Frankston, Victoria. Tools for the Trade is a nine to 10-week trade-oriented program that seeks to aid young people aged 16-21 who are disengaged from work, education and community opportunities to access pathways, linkages and referrals. The program provides hands-on experience through trade tasters, accredited courses and learning activities, as well as work placements. It also provides training in more general life and social skills through mentoring, community engagement, health and wellbeing training and team-building activities. Jordi gave a speech at the graduation ceremony of the most recent Tools for the Trade graduates. She joined Tools for the Trade after experiencing severe bullying at school. She said she had found herself in a mental health crisis that lasted about six weeks. “[I] didn’t go to school; didn’t want to wake up in the morning,” she said. The school staff placed Jordi in a program called Outreach, where a teacher asked her what she was hoping to do once school ended. Jordi told them she wanted to pursue an electrical apprenticeship while also working in mental health and disability support. The teacher recommended she apply for Tools for the Trade. Jordi said she thought she might as well shoot her shot, so she did. Two weeks later, she was enrolled. She said the difference between Tools for the Trade and her school experience was quickly apparent. At Tools for the Trade, she was encouraged to speak up or reach out to someone for help whenever she needed it. “I [came] from not really a supportive school [with] bullying, [where I was] chewed up, spat out and walked all over to open arms, like ‘talk to us, if you need any help, we’re here to support you’,” she said. “I was like, wow, the amount of support that’s around me is incredible. Just phenomenal. I want to go back.” The most recent class of seven were celebrated in a ceremony at Mt Martha on 28 March. The event was attended by parents and family members as well as representatives from Peninsula Youth Services, local schools, registered training organisations, The Salvation Army and local police. Jordi is now completing her Victorian Certificate of Education Major at Chisholm Institute of TAFE, focusing on electrotechnology while working in mental health and disability support. “I can happily say that I’m a lot more confident,” she said. “[I’ve] gone from ‘I hate life’ to ‘you know what, [I’ll] just let life do its thing’,” she said. “Whatever journey you go on, you go through, and you learn through that.” “So yeah, it’s just made me feel a lot more resilient.”

The Salvation Army has welcomed the Commonwealth Government’s recent announcement to make indexation arrangements more transparent and its commitment to increased collaboration and partnership with the community services sector. Indexation is critical for community sector organisations to continue delivering desperately needed services; however, the process for calculating and applying indexation is oblique. A mandate that individual government agencies pass the full budgeted indexation to community service organisations through the grants process is a step towards greater transparency. “The cost-of-living crisis that is harming our community so severely is also impacting our ability to serve the community,” said Jennifer Kirkaldy, The Salvation Army’s General Manager of Policy and Advocacy. “Indexation is a very small part of the funding shortfall community services organisations face, but any move toward greater transparency is very welcome.” Community service organisations like The Salvation Army are vital to assisting the most disadvantaged people in our community. While the Commonwealth Government provides some funding, generally, government grants do not cover the full cost of service delivery, and these organisations rely heavily on the generosity of the Australian public to keep their services going. “For every one dollar of funding we receive from the government in emergency relief, we deliver an additional two dollars of value to community members,” Jennifer said. The Salvation Army looks forward to working collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government to find ways to partner with the government and other providers to help community members thrive. Numerous reviews and reports into the community services sector have identified long-standing concerns about sustainability, which The Salvation Army believes can be addressed through a partnership model. However, The Salvation Army cautions that the community services sector cannot compensate for structural issues, including the inadequacy of income support payments and incorrect housing system settings. “The community services sector adds value that cannot be provided by either government or commercial interests, but it is critical that charities are not seen as a substitute for either,” Jennifer said. “Governments must not abdicate the responsibility for ensuring our systems and structures allow all people to live with dignity.”

Rebecca was raised in a home where drugs were abused. Growing up, this way of life soon became her own, leading to relationship abuse and, ultimately, jail time. Rebecca says that when she went to jail, she lost control of everything, including herself. At this point, she knew she had to make a choice. She chose to seek help from William Booth House (The Salvation Army Drug and Alcohol Recovery Centre), and it has made all the difference.