A Century of Service in Saskatoon
Last month, The Salvation Army in Saskatoon celebrated 100 years of service at its Avenue C location, where Crossroads Residential Services is situated. For a century, this branch has supported people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.
On June 14, the Army hosted an entertaining street party to mark the occasion.
“With permission from the city, we blocked off the street in front of our shelter and had a street party,” says Major Gordon Taylor, executive director of The Salvation Army’s Crossroads Residential Services. “We had three different musical groups performing, including The Salvation Army’s Saskatoon Temple Band. We had speeches from the mayor, the local Member of Parliament, local Member of the Legislature and a representative from our divisional headquarters.”
The celebration also included a BBQ, which was prepared and served by Salvation Army staff and volunteers.
“In addition to the emergency shelter, we have transitional housing, a correctional halfway house and a group home.”
“Everyone pitched in and it all came really well together,” Major Taylor adds.
Crossroads operates one of only three emergency shelters in Saskatoon. It is open 24/7, provides clients with three meals a day and offers intensive case management to help residents move toward permanent housing.
This location is only one part of The Salvation Army’s reach across the city.
“In addition to the emergency shelter, we have transitional housing, a correctional halfway house and a group home. The last couple of years, we’ve also hosted a winter warm-up site in partnership with a local Catholic church,” Major Gordon shares.
The main focus at Crossroads is to support clients experiencing housing instability. While Major Taylor believes their shelter plays a crucial role for people needing a place to stay, he admits some guests require more care and that is something they are working to improve.
“Some of our guests are not ready for a case management plan, so we have been advocating to fill this need.”
One way to better meet clients’ needs has been by growing their spiritual care work.
“There is no magic wand solution to eliminating homelessness, but every single step forward matters.”
“A couple of years ago, we added a lead chaplain position. Since then, we have been seeing great results when it comes to building relationships with our clients,” Major Taylor says.
As The Salvation Army on Avenue C moves into a new century of service, its commitment to helping others remains strong as ever.
“We are looking to continue doing more of what we are doing. There is no magic wand solution to eliminating homelessness, but every single step forward matters.”
By Juan Romero
