The Salvation Army Cambridge Corps

Description

The Cambridge Corps of the Salvation Army strives to meet human needs through its programs and services. It has several social service programs for homeless individuals such as a day-time drop-in-center (offering free meals, health care access, showers, clothing, counseling), an emergency shelter, a transitional program to help clients with a history of substance abuse, and a day-care for homeless children. Other services offered to the non-homeless populations are the Silver Threads program for seniors and Bridging the Gap, a new program for youth at risk. All of these programs are ministries of the Salvation Army church, which offers Christian fellowship, worship, and Bible studies for people of all ages and backgrounds. In an effort to serve the changing needs of the community, the Corps made a decision to turn its gymnasium into a refuge for the homeless. During the day, a makeshift soup kitchen and drop-in centers were started and soon the gymnasium was filled with homeless men, women and children. At night, cots were put down and the gym turned into an emergency shelter. We soon realized that if we were going to assist these individuals with permanent and positive change to break the cycle of homelessness, additional programs and services were necessary. This was the birth of our current Continuum of Care. A day-care for homeless children, the first in Massachusetts, as formed. Bridging the Gap and Silver Threads also evolved from the needs of the community.