Salvation Army

Wow. What a year it has been, The Salvation Army is making progress toward a brighter future. We are looking forward to some great things coming here in Jeannette. We have taken some time to consider the next steps, because we would like to address what the needs in this wonderful city we serve. We believe that it is important to understand the community. The Salvation Army’s mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in His name without discrimination. Our desire is to share the love of Jesus Christ, be a transforming influence in communities, and provide services that address human needs like food insecurity, fellowship and support for those facing hard times.

If you have a chance to enter the chapel at our location, there stands a banner with this quote from William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, “While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight. While little children go hungry, as they do now, I’ll fight. While men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight. While there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight. I’ll fight to the very end!”

The Salvation Army Jeannette Worship and Service Center takes this to heart and wants to be part of the solution in our community. Therefore, we are going to continue to address these needs by providing services to the youth, older adults, and struggling families.

First, additional leadership. Therefore, we were able to bring on board Captain Patricia Edwards, who will serve as the Associate Corps Officer (Pastor). Captain Edwards has been a Salvation Army officer for the past 11 years, serving mainly in Massachusetts. Captain Edwards comes with a background in social services. While in Massachusetts, she served as the Corps Officer (Pastor) of The Salvation Army Jubilee House, where she led many groups and events, she also came alongside The Salvation Army Children's Learning Center. She also served in several corps’ appointments most recently in Waltham, MA. Envoy Michael Jung currently serves as the Corps Officer (Pastor), serving 23 years and the last 3 years here in Jeannette. Mrs. Marsha Schmidt is the Office Manager and handles our Food Pantry. Marsha also handles seasonal assistance - registration and distributions. Mrs. Jamie House is our Youth Leader, and Ms. Kendra Moore is our Worship Leader.

Second, more relevant programs. We took a closer look at our current programs and made some adjustments to address community needs. We recognize that changes had to be made so that a greater impact could be made to address the challenges the community is facing.

As we looked at our programs, we noticed that those that attended our Women's Ministries (fellowship) program were mainly over the age of 55, and after reviewing those who come into our food pantry, it was noticed that many men in this age group are also seeking fellowship. After much thought and planning, we decided to have a program that everyone over the age of 55 could attend. And with the cost of food today, providing a meal was a good idea as well. So, beginning in September, we will be providing an Older Adults Food and Fellowship program, where adults 55 and older can gather for lunch and spend time with friends at no cost. We also hope to include some workshops that would be geared toward older adults, such as education on identity theft and scams that target older adults. There will be a Bible Study at 11 am, followed by lunch and fellowship at 12 pm. We will also continue Women’s Ministries, which will be held on Sundays at 12:30 pm following church service. Adult Sunday School is available at 10:30 am followed by church service at 11:00 am.

Also in September, we are going to serve the youth. Teens, 13-17 years old, can come and have a safe place for a nice meal, discussion and games. It will be held from 4-5 pm. A Kids’ Club will also be available for children who are in kindergarten to 6th grade from 5:30-6:30 pm. The kids will also have a nice meal, lessons and games or crafts. There will also be Sunday School available for the youth at 11:00 am.

During the month of October, seniors and families can apply for Project Bundle Up and Angel Tree. The Salvation Army also provides opportunities throughout the year for individuals of all ages to attend Camp Allegheny in Ellwood City for overnight stay. Those who have attended, have said, “Camp Allegheny is where they go for vacation, a great place to have some good fellowship with others, and not to have to worry about cooking a meal but more importantly to learn about God.”

or the past 2 years, The Salvation Army Jeannette Advisory Board has hosted the Jeannette Golf Fore Good Classics, raising roughly $44K, to help with the cost of these programs. Please support the Salvation Army at our kettles. We will be out in November and December, and yes, we accept credit cards through our QR code which is available on our stands. We are located at 1100 Clay Ave Ext. in Jeannette. For more information, you can speak to any of our staff at (724) 523-3120.