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Salvation Army officers and staff from across Central and Eastern Pennsylvania convened at State Capitol in Harrisburg last week, to share with legislators about The Salvation Army’s work across the state.
120 Salvation Army representatives met with their local representatives to discuss the need in their respective area and describe the important services they provide to citizens such as food assistance, housing, social services, anti-human trafficking efforts, senior citizen and youth community programming, emergency disaster services, and much more.
A special program held in the rotunda at noon, featured testimonials from individuals whose lives have been changed by The Salvation Army across Pennsylvania, remarks from Salvation Army leaders, as well as special presentations from Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Mike Stack and Senator Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia).
In 2015, The Salvation Army provided nearly 1 million meals and over 320,000 nights of emergency housing across the state of Pennsylvania. It also served more than 840,000 individuals through its various community center programs. According to the Human Needs Index, the need for basic necessities amongst disadvantaged populations in Pennsylvania has increased in the past ten years. Approximately one in seven families in Pennsylvania live in poverty today.
“The Salvation Army provides programs and services in every single zip code in Pennsylvania,” said Lt. Colonel Stephen Banfield, Divisional Commander, The Salvation Army of Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. “It is important that our legislators understand how we are helping to meet the needs of the underserved and impoverished throughout our communities. We must continue to strengthen our valued relationships with lawmakers so we can work together to positively impact those we serve.”
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