Salvation Army Drop-In Program Helps Young Adults Build Connections
For young adults struggling to find their place, The Salvation Army in Guelph, Ont., offers connection and friendship.
The Young Adults Drop-In was an initiative that started in 2022. The goal is to create a wellness hub for young adults and build bridges between the community and The Salvation Army.
“We want a space for them to build relationships and we want to be a connection point for community resources, whether it be practical day-to-day help with food security or mental health resources,” explains Rowena Ridder, coordinator of the program.
Drop-in participants enjoy fellowship and food
Drop-in attendees meet every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., to socialize, play board games and video games, practice sports in the gym, or simply relax. Each session begins with a home-cooked meal provided by Salvation Army volunteers.
“We want a space for them to build relationships and we want to be a connection point for community resources.”
While this is a great opportunity for participants to make new friends, it also gives them the chance to connect with the Army’s staff, who can help in other aspects of their lives. As Guelph has a significant student population, most of the people attending face similar challenges.
“We have students who are struggling with mental health issues. We help by giving them suggestions in terms of what resources in the community they can access. We have also referred students to the Army’s emergency food bank,” Rowena adds.
These connections go beyond just offering help to participants. Learning about the work of The Salvation Army motivates attendees to get involved. According to Rowena, many of them have gone on to volunteer for the Army.
Nathan Zamin has attended the drop-in program for months. As a third-year student at the University of Guelph, life can be a bit stressful. For this reason, he appreciates the chance to socialize every Tuesday evening.
“It has helped me relax after school, unwind and have something to look forward to.”
“It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, have fun and enjoy myself. It has helped me relax after school, unwind and have something to look forward to,” Nathan shares.
Soon after he joined, Nathan decided he wanted to volunteer. He now helps lead Messy Church, a weekly faith-based Salvation Army program for young families..
The drop-in has become quite popular. Each session hosts between 30 to 40 participants. When it first launched, the staff would have to motivate guests to socialize; however, this dynamic has changed.
“At first, we had a couple of key volunteers that would make sure they sat with everybody and welcomed them,” Rowena says. “Now, if a new person comes and we don’t see them right away, someone else will already be talking to them, so they are connecting with each other. It is their own community now. It is absolutely wonderful to be able to facilitate that.”
As this initiative keeps growing and gets more attention, the cost of running it increases. For this reason, participants and staff are hosting a fundraiser.
“We are hosting a carwash. Our youth group is helping with that as well as some of the young adults to raise money for this program,” Rowena shares.
By Juan Romero
