THE SALVATION ARMY MEMPHIS
Serving the Memphis area since 1900
Serving Memphis since 1900, The Salvation Army focuses on “sharing God’s love by serving others” and is committed to serving people in need in the Memphis area. Placing a priority on the long-term stability of families in need, The Salvation Army provides food, shelter, life-skills training, addiction recovery and spiritual support throughout the year.
“Generational poverty, chronic homelessness, domestic violence and spiraling addiction rates continue to cripple the Memphis economy,” said Captain Zach Bell, Area Commander. “The Salvation Army targets each of these with proven success. Graduating families to sobriety, self-sufficiency and stability meets Memphis’ most critical needs.”
Throughout the year, thousands of volunteers and donors help The Salvation Army. On average, the organization serves 262 residents, 5,000 Angel Tree recipients, 100 youth campers, 100,000 Kroc Center participants, and thousands of disaster victims and first responders.
When asked what makes The Salvation Army unique among its nonprofit counterparts, Bell explained, “Our global reach with local impact — serving in 127 countries while delivering hands on service to the Mid-South — is something that separates us from other service agencies.”
“Most of all we provide hope,” explained Ellen Westbrook, director of community relations & development. “The hope for a way out of addiction. The hope that relationships can be rebuilt, that selfsufficiency can be maintained. The hope for a future through education and empowerment.”
Many of The Salvation Army’s outreach accomplishments are sources of pride for those that work with the organization: it is the largest provider of shelter and services for homeless women and children in Memphis; the largest provider of addiction recovery programs — residential, work-therapy, and outpatient; and the only specifically designed shelter in Memphis for homeless single women. However, Bell says that his proudest moments as The Salvation Army Area Commander are “the ongoing graduations of families to independent living.”
As The Salvation Army continues to provide service to the Memphis area, Bell says the organization remains committed to its mission of “sharing God’s love by serving others.”
“We’re in the business of people,” said Bell. “But no money means no mission. So, we must continue to sustain the Purdue Center through local financial support; the Kroc Center through memberships, rentals and events; and our Adult Rehabilitation Center through Family Store operations. Please join us in this critical work.”