The Salvation Army has served Winston-Salem since 1907, providing food, clothing, and shelter for those in need. Today, its programs are more diverse in order to continue meeting the changing needs of this community.
After opening the first Boys Club in 1938 and Girls Club in 1958, The Salvation Army today operates two Boys & Girls Clubs that provide a positive after-school and summer environment for hundreds of Winston-Salem's children.
Since 1975, The Salvation Army has operated a Residential Re-Entry Center, a federally funded halfway house for prisoners. This program seeks to guide participants through a successful transition from prison back into society and has a 93% success rate.
The Salvation Army offers spiritual guidance, biblical instruction and worship opportunities at its Washington Park Corps Community Center on Broad Street, as well as weekly programs and meals for senior adults and a visitation program to area nursing home and correctional facility residents.
In a continuing effort to reach an increasingly diverse community, the Salvation Army began a church ministry in the Latino community on Old Walkertown Road in 2000 and opened a Korean Outpost in Kernersville in 2005.
In the mid-1980s, The Salvation Army broadened its social service ministry to include additional areas of service in Davie, Stokes and Yadkin Counties.
The Salvation Army's Social Services program provides a number of services including: (1) Shelter to homeless families and single women; (2) On-site feeding; (3) Clothing; (4) Financial Assistance for delinquent rent and utilities as well as rent and utility deposits; (5) Assistance with medicine and food purchases; (6) Travel assistance; (7) Short-term transitional housing and case management services and (8) Toys and food assistance to families, the elderly and the disabled during the holiday season.
The Salvation Army Winston-Salem owns and operates a self-contained mobile feeding unit available for local, regional, and natural disasters at a moments notice.
Finally, The Salvation Army operates 4 Thrift Stores, two in Forsyth County and one in Davie and Yadkin Counties, respectively. These stores meet a four-fold community need: (1) They provide an opportunity for residents to recycle usable clothing, furniture, and household appliances; (2) They serve as a distribution site for free clothing; (3) They offer an alternative to low and middle income residents for the purchase of needed, recycled items at affordable prices; and (4) They generate revenue through store sales to support the expansion of ongoing Salvation Army programs in the community.
Through all its programs, the Winston-Salem Salvation Army yearly serves over 30,000 individuals in four counties. Services are provided without regard to age, race, color, creed, gender, or religious belief.
Emergency Disaster Services
Director of Operations: Lisa Parrish
Description: Emergency and disaster service; Provides food, clothing, shelter and other basic survival needs to victims of disasters (weather, fire, etc.)
Boys & Girls Clubs
Director: Sylvia Adams
Description: Provides after-school programs (educational, recreational, athletic and vocational); summer camp.
Fees: Annual membership, discounts for families with more than one child.
Academy for Music & Arts
Director: Jeff Clarke
Description: Provides instruction in music and art. Weekday lessons during the school year and summer day camp.
Christmas Assistance
Description: Provides assistance with toys, food, coats and clothing.
Eligibility: Income based
Application: Interviews beginning October
Family Thrift Stores
Director: George Joyce
Description: Accepts donations from the public and re-sells at affordable prices. Proceeds benefit ongoing Salvation Army programs. Four locations:
Salvation Army Social Services
Director: Monique Freeney
Emergency Financial Assistance
Description: Emergency and supplementary financial assistance for rent and utilities, Crisis Intervention Program (CIP) administered for Forsyth County; emergency food boxes; community breakfast 365 days of the year; travel assistance.
Eligibility: Needs-based
Application: By Appointment Only
Fees: None
Emergency Shelter
Assistant Director: John Gladman
Description: Serves only single women, women or men with children, or families (parents must provide marriage license). Minimum age for singles: 18. Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; provides housing referrals, transportation and day care; full service case management available to all residents.
Eligibility: Needs-based
Fees: None
Residential Re-Entry Center (formerly Community Corrections Center)
Assistant Director: Melissa Burgess
Description: Work Release Program for offenders referred by Bureau of Prisons.
Eligibility: Referral only
Application: Interview and Orientation
Fees: Pre-set by Bureau of Prisons
Corps Community Centers
Washington Park Corps
1411 South Broad Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27127
336-725-9923
Pastors: Majors Russell & Johanna Wilt
Worship Services in English
Programs for all ages; musical instruction; Ladies' Home League; Men's Fellowship Club; programs for seniors.
International Corps and Boys & Girls Club
2850 New Walkertown Road
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
336-499-1196
Pastors: Captains Julio and Priscilla Colón
Worship Services in Spanish
English-As-A-Second-Language (ESL) programs; after-school programs.
Kernersville Corps (Korean)
508 Arbor Hill Road
Kernersville, NC 27284
336-993-8844
Pastors: Captains Young & Heeran Lim
Worship Services in Korean
English-As-A-Second-Language (ESL) programs; after-school programs.