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From dream to reality—a newly renovated community space opens to serve and uplift the people of Tempe, Arizona.
With its new location, The Salvation Army Tempe (Arizona) Corps has new opportunities to connect with more individuals and families who need support across the city.
“It’s a high visibility site, it’s on a main road, it’s got a bus stop—that provides excellent access and visibility to the community,” said Tempe Corps Advisory Board Chair Bob Kawa. “It allows us to give services equally throughout Tempe.”
That excitement was felt at a ribbon-cutting and building dedication event May 14, where over 100 attendees—including Tempe Mayor Corey Woods; Tempe City Council members; The Salvation Army Western Territorial Leaders Commissioners Douglas and Colleen Riley; Southwest Divisional Leaders Lt. Colonels Chuck and Shari Fowler—gathered to celebrate the opening and tour the facility.
“It was phenomenal getting to share that moment with our community and see people’s reactions to the property,” said Tempe Corps Officer Captain Jeremy Baker.
“The positive feedback we received was great,” he added. “To hear our own territorial and divisional leaders express their excitement…It was inspiring to us and it made us want to do more for the community.”
That inspiration is shaping the vision for what’s next at the corps.
“I truly believe that this new building is going to be a safe place for families to come for comfort, council, connection,” said fellow Tempe Corps Officer Captain Brittany Baker.
Before the public opening, the corps welcomed its congregation into the chapel on Easter Sunday—a fitting and symbolic beginning to a new chapter, especially considering the building’s former use.
“It was a mortuary that we renovated,” Brittany Baker said. “So, to have our first chapel on Resurrection Sunday was life-giving to our congregation members who were so excited and ready to be in a space where they can help be the hands and feet of Jesus.”
The moment offered more than just a new setting for worship—it sparked a renewed sense of purpose and vision within the congregation. During the service, Brittany Baker said the congregation “started to dream of what the corps, not only from a social service standpoint, but from a spiritual church standpoint, would look like.”
She said a highlight was seeing families worshipping Jesus and wanting others to experience it as well.
Prior to renovating and moving into the new space, the Tempe Corps remained in the same building for 50 years. Jeremy Baker said the area of the old building, which bordered Arizona State University’s campus, was developing quickly and prompted the decision to move.
“It was hard for us to be able to expand in that location without it costing a lot of money,” he said. ”The plan to sell the building took several years and we were blessed and fortunate to work locally with developers.”
During the new building’s renovation, the corps no longer had a home of its own—marking a challenging season.
“We spent a year kind of in the wilderness, using a tent tabernacle, so to speak, in order to renovate our new building,” said Jeremy Baker. “We did all of our social services, all of our church programming and everything else out of an optometrist office that we were able to rent…it was a very interesting transitional period for us.”
Now, since settling into the corps’ “new home,” Kawa said they’re able to focus on meeting the needs of the local community through the Army’s services and programs.
In addition to funding the purchase and renovation of the new building, the proceeds from the old building also helped to fund the corps’ mobile street-level outreach team, which Kawa said will work “in conjunction with the city of Tempe and their efforts.”
“We’re going to be looking to meet the neighbors within that area…working with seniors where they may need some assistance, working with families and with children as well,” Kawa said, touching on the holistic approach that the street-level team will offer to people experiencing homelessness.
“It’s all about providing hope to the community…that is ultimately our desire to bring hope to the city of Tempe and to help build it up and make it a stronger and safer community for everyone who calls it home,” Jeremy Baker said, adding, “I think the new building and our street outreach program will definitely help to do that.”
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