​“Great Futures Start Here” is more than just a tagline for the Boys & Girls Club. It’s very real for its alumni. This week, several former Club members gathered to share their experiences with community leaders.

Last week, devastating rains caused the Catawba River to breach its banks and flow into the Riverside community in northwest Charlotte. It was the worst flooding the area had seen since 2004, prompting evacuations, multiple water rescues and widespread destruction. This week, residents are left picking up the pieces and trying to put their lives back together. The Salvation Army, at the request of local emergency management officials, deployed its mobile feeding kitchen on Tuesday to support the community by providing food, water and other supplies.

After being on-air for 28 hours straight, No Limit Larry and The Morning Maddhouse raised $10,000 for The Salvation Army Center of Hope. It was all part of WPEG Power 98’s 28-Hour Broadcast.

As part of National Salvation Week, We Speak Hope brought nearly 150 volunteers together in uptown Charlotte to help those in need.

Tons of school supplies, toiletries and snacks were spread out along the concourse of BB&T Ballpark, where everyone helped put together packages for The USO, MEDIC, the Boys & Girls Clubs, and The Center of Hope for Women and Children.

“It just gets…

It’s not every day that a kid gets to speak with one of the top athletes in the world on FaceTime! Boys & Girls Club members from Belmont Avenue Club had the chance to chat with Rory McIlroy this week, as he took time out of his schedule at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte to check in on our kids.

In celebration of his 30^th birthday, McIlroy and his…

UnitedHealthcare wants to make sure kids stay active. And, that’s why their team stopped by the Belmont Avenue Boys and Girls Club with a brand-new treadmill, 100 pedometers for our members, and $1,000 for healthy lifestyles programs.

They are the ‘army behind the army,’ who willingly share their time and support. And as part of National Volunteer Week, The Salvation Army took time to say thank you.

For one young man, the Boys & Girls Club was a life-saver. He joined the Boys & Girls Club at his local Charlotte elementary school because his parents were concerned about leaving him at home alone. He and his older sister were “latchkey kids” -- they were used to staying at home by themselves after school until their parents returned from work. But, something had changed of late. He had started making suicidal statements, so his parents knew there was a problem and he needed help.

As Charlotte wrestles with issues like lack of affordable housing and economic mobility, homelessness remains at a high level. As a result, the Center of Hope regularly operates at capacity and in many cases, calls on the local faith community to partner to address the lack of space. Every year, Providence Presbyterian Church in South Charlotte answers the call and opens its doors to 12 homeless…

Finding and keeping employment that provides sufficient income is foundational for helping women experiencing homeless to get back on their feet. A dozen women are ready to embark on that journey, after graduating from The Salvation Army Center of Hope’s job readiness program.