Latest news with #SalvationArmy
CBS News
4 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Late-night basketball program brings brotherhood and personal growth to young men in Chicago
In Chicago's West Pullman neighborhood, a late-night basketball league is bringing much more than friendly competition to the Salvation Army's Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. The after-hours action on the hardwood at the facility, at 1250 W. 119th St., comes with life lessons. On a Saturday night, the parking lot clears as moonlight shines outside the Kroc Center. Inside, floors get buffed, as it is way after business hours. Yet there is still some serious business going on. When CBS News Chicago visited, Elijah Etiene Newsome was waiting for his chance to hit the court at midnight. "It's helping people get off the streets, because it's giving them something positive to do," Newsome said. Newsome is one of 60 young men who go to the Kroc Center for late-night basketball. "This is basketball," he said. "I love the sport, I love the grind, I love the hustle." While Newsome gets a chance to showcase his skills, the participants are doing more than just going hard on the court. "The draw is basketball, but also real brotherhood — real men," said program director P.J. Jones. This is something that Newsome appreciates too. "They're teaching us about life," he said. "You know, we're all young men here — young adults." The young men come to the Kroc Center overnight weekly to pass the time. "It's significant because it keeps people safe," said Jones. Three years ago, late-night basketball started periodically at the Far South Side center. But in December 2024, they shifted into overtime — and the word quickly spread. "We were doing clinics, and then when they found out that they were actually going to play some games, then that's when more and more people — they just started inviting their friends, their neighbors, and more and more people just came," Jones said, "to the point to where we're almost at 60 brothers every Saturday night." Now, six teams play three games — late into the night. "We are intentional about being a safe haven here," said Salvation Army Capt. Shanell Debela. Debela oversees the entire Kroc Center. She said late-night basketball is a huge success — not for teenagers, but for young adults. The center decided to focus on the 18- to 21-year-old. "Oftentimes, we feel like that population is forgotten about," said Debela. "We definitely wanted to be a resource." Now, every Saturday night, 60 men leave the week's trouble behind. They come together for brotherhood and beyond. "We can groom them to become leaders," said Jones, "and a lot of times, they hear about leadership, but we present it in a way to where it's real, and we can identify with them." Before the first jersey is thrown on, the men are required to gather for fellowship, as Jones leads a prayer. "Teaching us life skills, mentorship, how to maneuver in the real world, and how to set an example for the younger and the youth," said Newsome. The Saturday night that CBS News Chicago visited, the group gathered to jot down ideas for additional skills they want to develop collectively. They included boxing classes, cooking classes, courses in money and business finance management, planning an outdoor basketball tournament, free mentorships, and opportunities to feed the homeless. The men get just as pumped about brainstorming as they do later in the night on the basketball court. Debela said the workshops where the young men have those discussions were essential in order to have late-night basketball. "It's part of our grant from the State of Illinois," she said. The grant is part of the Violence Prevention Initiative. Youngsters of course enjoy being on the basketball court, but when it gets dark, a lot of bad things can happen — even right on public basketball courts outside. "When there's not anything productive going on, we lose lives in that age group," Debela said. In fact, Capt. Debela recalls one young man who became a regular on Saturday nights — only to skip one evening. "He ended up losing his life on that night," Debela said. "So we know that it's important, and we want to keep it going. We want to have our doors open." Eric Chatman and his nonprofit, the Big Homies Club, comes out weekly to help mentor the young men. "It makes me feel good to help the youth, keep them out of trouble, steer them away from danger, keep them alive," said Chatman. "They could be anywhere right now or doing anything right now. They choose to be in here with us." Organizers admit many who show up to late-night basketball just want to play good ball. The games are intense and competitive, and there is a growing list to get in on the late-night action. The grant now allows each player to receive $75 weekly. "And so then when the incentives came in in April, that was the icing on the cake," said Jones. And the program is a slam dunk for keeping young adults safe. "I have no doubt that we are transforming lives," Jones said. Newsome said the only thing he's missing out on is sleep. And it's worth it.
Scoop
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Ministers Release Homelessness Insights Report
Hon Chris Bishop Minister of Housing Associate Minister of Housing The Government has released the latest Homelessness Insights Report and announced a series of actions to reduce the number of people living without shelter, including sleeping rough in New Zealand, Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka say. 'Homelessness is a problem New Zealand has grappled with for a long time. It is a symptom of a dysfunctional housing market and is exacerbated during challenging economic times,' Mr Bishop says. 'Census data shows an ongoing trend of increasing homelessness, with 4,122 people living without shelter in 2013, 3,624 people in 2018 and 4,965 in 2023. 'The 2018 to 2023 period showed a 37% increase of people living without shelter despite the large-scale use of Emergency Housing costing well over $1 billion across that period. 'The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development's latest Homelessness Insights Report confirms what frontline organisations like the Auckland City Mission and Salvation Army have been saying: there are too many people in housing need. 'Accurate numbers are difficult to pin down - people without shelter often move around and may avoid engaging with government services - but it's clear we have a real problem. 'The Government takes this seriously. At present, over $550 million is spent annually across a range of programmes run by multiple agencies, including Transitional Housing, Housing First, Rapid Rehousing and many other support services.' 'All New Zealanders deserve a warm, dry place to stay, and the Government is determined to make progress on this long-running challenge for New Zealand,' Mr Potaka says. 'In the short-term, we've asked officials for advice on further targeted interventions to provide help and support to those living without shelter, including rough sleepers. We've asked for recommendations around better utilisation of existing programmes and existing services, and we are also open to new ideas that will make an enduring difference. 'We've made it clear that officials should engage with frontline providers such as the Auckland City Mission, The Wise Group and the Salvation Army, among others, because they are the organisations working at the frontline of this problem. 'We will not be returning to the previous government's large-scale emergency housing model, which cost over $1 million a day at its peak and was a social disaster. New Zealanders – including people sleeping rough - deserve better than that. 'The Government has an existing review under way of housing support services. There are hundreds of contracts for these services, and the system is complicated and often duplicative. Our aim is to make the system simpler, more effective, and reduce duplication. We want to fund what works. 'We're also looking at how to better support people leaving residential support programmes or prison. Stable housing is critical to successful reintegration and reducing reoffending.' 'Our long-term focus is on fixing the fundamentals of our housing market: freeing up land, removing planning barriers, improving infrastructure funding, and giving councils stronger incentives to support housing growth,' Mr Bishop says. 'Next year we'll replace the RMA with a new planning system that makes it easier to build the housing and infrastructure New Zealand needs. 'We're also looking at ways to improve the social housing system to ensure it delivers the right homes, in the right places, for the right people. The Government has recently changed Kāinga Ora's funding settings to enable the agency to build more one-bedroom units. About 50 per cent of people on the Housing Register require a one-bedroom unit, but they only make up about 12 per cent of Kāinga Ora's housing stock. 'Homelessness is complex and there are no easy answers, but we're determined to take meaningful actions – like our Priority One policy which has seen more than 2,100 children and their families moved from emergency housing motels into homes.'
CBC
10 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Small town food banks struggle to keep up as demand hits new highs
Food banks in smaller communities across southwestern Ontario are doing their best to keep everyone fed, but it's becoming more of a struggle than ever as demands soars and donations dwindle. In Ingersoll, workers at the Salvation Army food bank are seeing plenty of new faces coming in for help each week, said coordinator Lovish Sharma, including people who used to bring in regular donation themselves. For many in the Oxford County town, with a population around 13,000, this year has been especially difficult. One of the town's major employers is the General Motors CAMI assembly plant and recent job losses there are playing a big role in increased use at the food bank, said Sharma. "I know a lot of people who have been laid off, and a lot of people who were laid off in the past and they have not been able to find a new job," he said. "I think that's one of the major reasons why we're seeing an increase in demand." In nearby St. Thomas, the local food bank is seeing similar trends. "We're rising every year, but this year has been really tough for a lot of families," said Karen McDade, a manager at the St. Thomas Elgin Food Bank. "Due to the cost of everything, be it food, gas, utilities, mortgage rates, or rentals, everything is just a bit overwhelming for families," McDade said. While need is rising steadily, this summer they are seeing an unprecedented increase in usage with new sign-ups nearly every day — in addition to more than 1,500 new users in the last year and a half, said manager Sarah Coleman. The Summer Top Up program, which provides breakfast, lunch and snacks to families while their children are out of school, had 56 new families sign up just in the past three weeks. Donations are in decline, so keeping the shelves stocked can be tough, but the food bank is managing to keep up with demand for now. In two weeks, they'll need to fill the next round of summer top-up packs which will require about 5,000 granola bars or other small snacks. For the first time ever, they may need to go out and purchase them, Coleman said. Many of the people who would often donate are now having to budget with rising costs, McDade said, and that's being reflected in their donation bins at local grocery stores. "We used to pick them up a few times a week, and now it's only once because they're just not overflowing like they used to," she said. Call for government action Both McDade and Coleman want to see more government response to rising costs, they said. With even basic staples like bread, milk and eggs becoming less affordable, some of the new people signing up at the food bank have jobs, a car and even own their own house, McDade said, yet still struggle to make ends meet and feed their families. On Monday, she even helped two seniors above 80-years-old sign up for their first time, she said. "When someone that's on a pension hasn't been to a food bank their whole life and they're coming here at 82 years old … it's upsetting."
Cision Canada
18 hours ago
- General
- Cision Canada
Local Charity Donates 400 Roller Bags to The Salvation Army
The donation will be distributed throughout the community from several Salvation Army locations across the region. Vancouver Harbour Light, Belkin House, Grace Mansion, Richmond House Shelter and Victoria Addictions & Rehabilitation Centre all received a number of the bags, as well as Kate Booth House, a safe and confidential shelter providing a supportive environment for women and children escaping violence. These duffle bags will provide a dignified storage solution for individuals navigating housing transitions. The partnership emerged from Wheels of Faith Foundation's mission to provide practical solutions for individuals experiencing homelessness, starting with a single act of kindness in Langley. "This is the biggest, most blessed thing that could be happening with Wheels of Faith, with The Salvation Army," says Darla Knight, President and Founder of the Wheels of Faith Foundation. "Their reputation is amazing for helping people ... Couldn't have found a better partnership, for sure." "These duffel bags will definitely assist with the move, going from one particular phase of their unhoused situation to the next phase … It provides our community members with dignity and practical support during their transition journey," shared Alvin Chong, Director of Community Development for The Salvation Army Belkin Communities of Hope. For more information about the Wheels of Faith Foundation, visit About The Salvation Army: The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and every day in 400 communities across Canada and more than 130 countries around the world.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chip and Joanna Gaines Step Up to Lead Relief Efforts for Texas Flood Victims
Chip and Joanna Gaines Step Up to Lead Relief Efforts for Texas Flood Victims originally appeared on Parade. Chip and Joanna Gaines are using their platform to send much needed help and support to their fellow Texans experiencing the devastation caused by the recent floods. The HGTV stars teamed up with Salvation Army to collect goods to be donated to those in need in the Texas Hill Country. The mom of five posted an update on her Instagram account on Thursday, sharing a video of a large moving truck being loaded with goods. She also noted that they'll be collecting hygiene items and other necessities through the end of the day at the Magnolia Market at the Silos, the couple's shopping and lifestyle destination in Waco, Texas. According to NBC News, the death toll has reached 120 as of Thursday afternoon, and at least 173 people are still missing in the aftermath of the flash floods that occurred over the Fourth of July Weekend in central Texas' Hill Country region. Fans sent encouraging messages to the Fixer Upper star, commenting on her post, "Tysm. God bless you for this great kindness!" and, "The Kerrville and surrounding areas are being supported by generous, loving people. Amongst the devastation, there is kindness and compassion. Thank you!" 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 In another recent post, Gaines shared that they're helping raise money for Kerr County Flood Relief, and shared the link for those wanting to help financially. She wrote, "For those looking to support from afar, the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country @cftexashillcountry has set up a relief fund to directly aid those impacted. In the midst of tragedy, our hearts are warmed by people like Chip and Joanna who are leveraging their celebrity status to help those affected by the disaster. Chip and Joanna Gaines Step Up to Lead Relief Efforts for Texas Flood Victims first appeared on Parade on Jul 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
