Wish List: Salvation Army seeks new minivan, donations and volunteers

The Salvation Army of the Mid-Columbia, which has served the needy in Benton and Franklin counties since 1923, is in need of donations this holiday season.

The staff at the Salvation Army post in Pasco, provides food, clothing, emergency and disaster assistance, as well as summer programs for kids.

“We are currently taking donations of clothing and furniture, and jackets new or gently used,” said administrative assistant Anet Medina. “Scholarships for children to attend a five-day summer camp (which costs $500 per child) are also welcome.”

Replacing the agency’s aging minivan is another priority because the current vehicle is wearing down, she said. It’s vital for picking up donations.

They also welcome volunteers to help sort food and clothing and spread them out in boxes for needy families.

The Salvation Army is a nondenominational charitable organization with a rich history that dates to 1865, when London minister William Booth decided to give up the comfort of his pulpit and take his message directly to the streets where he could reach the poor, the homeless, the hungry and the destitute face-to-face.

His inspiration for making such a bold move was when he noticed the poor didn’t feel comfortable or welcome in the pews of most churches in Victorian England. Regular churchgoers looked down their noses at the poor. Despite the fact they were unwashed and shabbily dressed, they wanted to come to church.

Booth then started a church especially for those less fortunate. He called it the East London Christian Mission and it was renamed the Salvation Army in 1878. Two years later his philosophy spread to United States when a chapter was opened in Philadelphia.

“Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs without discrimination,” Medina said.

Donations can be made at the Pasco facility at 310 N. Fourth Ave. Monetary donations can be made online at www.salvationarmy.org — by submitting your zip code at the website your donation is guaranteed to benefit the Tri-City branch, Medina said.

This story was originally published December 24, 2014 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Wish List: Salvation Army seeks new minivan, donations and volunteers."