Lynchburg Salvation Army Continues to Provide Hope During Hardships

With help from the Greater Lynchburg community, the Salvation Army supplies life-saving aid to residents in need. Whether a hot meal, shelter or prayer, the organization works with community members to ensure that no one goes without. 

For over 130 years, the Salvation Army has been serving communities across the United States. The ministry supplies essential aid to millions, including those in Greater Lynchburg. Hannah Wallace, volunteer coordinator for the local Salvation Army, helps oversee how the organization helps Lynchburg community members. 

“The Salvation Army offers numerous services to the Greater Lynchburg community,” Wallace said. “These include providing shelter, food and utility/rent assistance through our Center of Hope shelter, community feeding program and family services.”

While the organization works hard to promote integrated and sustainable growth, some challenges are bigger than others. 

“From what I have seen in working in the Greater Lynchburg community, one of the biggest need(s) that our community faces is food security,” Wallace said. “The communities that we serve are considered food deserts in the state of Virginia, meaning that the community has limited access to affordable and nutritious food.” 

The poverty rate in Lynchburg during 2018 was 21.8%, according to FRED Economic data. Since the beginning of the current pandemic, the Salvation Army has seen a significant increase in the need for food bags, rent/utilities aid and shelter. 

“We have seen a tremendous increase in need since the onset of COVID-19, so we are in need of all the help we can get,” Wallace said. “Our volunteer opportunities include serving meals, packing food bags, organizing our clothing closet and cleaning our shelter.”

“Most importantly,” Wallace said, “we want to make sure that any individual whom we have the honor to serve immediately recognizes and experiences the love of Christ in its truest form, through the labor of those who love and seek to glorify him.”

Students can support this ministry by connecting with the Salvation Army via Facebook, Instagram or through the CSER Dashboard. Students may also reach out to Wallace at hannah.wallace@uss.salvationarmy.org

Abigail Hamilton is a News Reporter.