This Homeless Woman Explained Why People Should Stop Donating To The Salvation Army

As a sister if a captain of the Salvation Army, I can tell you exactly where their money goes. As a captain, my sister is given a home, rent free, fully furnished. If she dislikes the curtains, carpet, kitchen table, whatever, she has it replaced by them free of charge. That goes for all captains. That is where your money is going. I gave up donating to them a long time ago, and instead donate to a charity that provides books and clothes to school children.

As in every institution there will be people working for the Salvation Army who really shouldn't be allowed to even enter the premisses. And they should be fired or re-educated. Denying that this problem exists doesn't serve the Salvation Army. I'm sure that the Salvation Army has people who really want to help people in need and I'm sure it's the majority of their employees. So why not investigate the accusations and take appropriate action? Throwing the woman out makes the Salvation Army look suspicious and untrustworthy.

Sadly I had a very bad experience myself. I had to flee an abusive relationship and I had no where else to turn. I did have a job but no money to rent a place. No one else who stayed there had a job. Some of the men in the shelter would refer to the females in very obscene terms. After work, I would come in and volunteer to help with resumes, interview practice, new admissions, etc. I was trying so hard to be helpful. The manager, a Pastor, called me into his office and told me I had to be a bell ringer full time. I reminded him I had a job, but I would gladly work 12 hour shifts on weekends. Next morning, I was told to pack my things and leave. I spent the next few weeks living in my car in the coldest part of the year! Merry Christmas. I wound up renting a room for $125 a week in a little rooming house. On bad days, I can still hear those men screaming obscene words at me. And the irony of the only employed resident being tossed out still amazes me.

CONTINUED - ungrateful along with the threat of eviction. I walked out; there was no way I would allow my kids to eat that ptomaine poisoning waiting to happen bacteria laden slop. I didn’t have much money, but enough to manage a little packaged coffeecake to split with my kids down at the 7-11 on the corner. I felt fortunate I didn’t have to subject them to meals of rotten garbage unlike many of the other mothers. Needless to say I went back to my abuser, at least we had a clean house and fresh food but because of the dirty shared pillows we all ended up with the worst case of conjunctivitis in the century. It took months to heal emotionally and physically and another year to leave to a real safe house. I will NEVER EVER donate, shop, support or have anything to do with the Salvation Army and I take every opportunity to tell people just what a horrible un-charitable organization they run.

Many years ago (1978 or 79) I was the executive secretary to the Director of North San Diego County Salvation Army, Oceanside. Our main function was to place women in safe houses and work with them rebuilding their lives with free classes and job referrals. The office was ground level with storefront windows and one day a lady walked in and handed me a $10 bill, asking me to put it toward helping an abused woman with children. The Director wasn’t in at the time so I held onto the cash until she returned 30 or so minutes later. After she settled into her office I went in, handed her the donation and explained where it had come from and to what was requested it be applied to. The director smiled, held out her hand, took the money, and as she stuck it into her purse said “Good, I needed gas money”. Part of my job was to solicit donations from local upscale vendors for charitable fundraisers. Contributors made sizeable grants and endowments which ended up in administrator and board me