Stories of Transformation
Beth's Story
“Thank you for giving me a place to breathe, a place of hope, and for my dignity.” - Beth
Pamela's Story
“The Salvation Army introduced me to a God of love. I mean His love is… just like I feel it right now. There ain’t no drug, a drink of beer, a cigarette, nothing can give you this, what I feel right now.…
Mary Elizabeth’s Story
Mary Elizabeth is a busy single mom with two daughters ages nine and two and has a good job working as a court mediator. Her sister passed away tragically, leaving behind an infant son. Mary Elizabeth…
Janice’s Story
Janice and her husband have two young children. Their family lives in a frustrating margin: they do not make enough money to buy the food they need, yet their household income is too high to qualify for…
CeeJay's Story
CeeJay Jordan remembers when his basketball team at The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club won the North and South Carolina Boys & Girls Clubs Hoops Councils title in 2017. “I’ll never forget that moment,”…
James' Story
No matter how hard James tried, he just could not catch a break. Life knocked him down at every turn. First, his hours were slashed at both of his jobs. Then he became ill and missed two weeks of work.…
Juneteenth, Captain Hewitt
It is no coincidence that the Juneteenth proclamation celebration is in the exact same year The Salvation Army was officially recognized in 1865. The mandate of fighting for the freedom of souls, and…
Juneteenth, Captain Roberts
Juneteenth is not a black holiday. It is an American holiday. It was a day that American leaders sought to get it right for all enslaved people. It might have been a few people that were okay with slavery…
Keeping Hope Alive
The Salvation Army is often the place where people come when they have no where else to turn. When the phone rang at The Salvation Army location in Beaufort, South Carolina, Captain Wanda Long began talking…
One Special Call Led To Hundreds With Food
Captain Tim Scott, Georgetown South Carolina's commanding officer, could not have known when he answered the phone, one week into the COVID-19 crisis, that a portal was about to swing open allowing Salvation…
Nicole's Story
At an early age, Nicole had been in and out of homeless shelters with her family. When she was only 13 years old, Nicole’s mom married a man who they moved in with. Her stepfather physically and sexually…
Sharell's Story
“I was in an unhealthy relationship and I came to a realization that I needed to leave. I didn’t just leave the town I left the state. It was a must that I did that, for my kids. I got on the road and…
Hurricane Florence Landfall
On September 14, 2018, Category 1 Hurricane Florence made landfall south of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The storm stalled and dumped heavy rain along the coast causing widespread flooding. Rivers…
Beth's Story
Beth, her fiancée Tim, and her seven-year-old lost everything in Hurricane Florence. Their home. Their clothing, furniture, and household items. Even their family pictures were lost in the storm. “It…
Charlyn's Story
As she was desperately trying to find a job, she and her daughter began moving from one friend’s couch to another. Pretty soon her savings were exhausted, and she could no longer pay for necessities for…
Amy's Story
Amy and her family lived the typical middle-class story. They had a home, fresh food in the kitchen, and had all of their basic needs met. But, as it so often can, life threw them a curve ball. A series…
Damien's Story
“Being young and immature, and not so much connected, I would think ‘Oh my purpose in life is to play music, or to be famous, or to make money.’ But God broke all those things down and showed me what my…
Traci's Story
The only thing that Traci knew for sure was that she had to leave. There were no other options. She quickly packed up her belongings, got in her car, and drove away, leaving behind her home, her dogs,…
Sheryl's Story
I moved into the Salvation Army's Night Shelter called the Center of Hope in November. Having been in North Carolina for two months (I’m originally from Philadelphia, PA) before this time, everything was…
Mary's Story
Mary was a young wife and mother who was married to her best friend. They first met when they were just five years old. After he finished school, he enlisted and joined the Marine Corps. His decision to…
Maria's Story
Parents want nothing more than to provide for their children. Caring for a child often means sacrifice – giving up your own comfort to make sure that your child has everything they need. For Maria, this…
Blossom's Story
When she and her son were endangered in a relationship, Blossom fled across the country. With a new sense of safety and security, Blossom, once a victim of human trafficking, was able to work with her…
Patricia's Story
Patricia had just settled in for the night when it began to rain outside. She didn’t follow the news and wasn’t aware that Hurricane Joaquin was threatening the entire southeast coast. Within 24 hours,…
Diondra's Story
Diondra began to wonder about what her academics this would mean for her future. Like so many in her situation, she worried about her prospects for attending college and finding employment. Determined…
Terri's Story
When she was just fifteen, Terri escaped from a violently abusive household. Because of her pain and trauma, she became addicted to drugs and found herself living in her car in an abandoned lot when an…
Anita's Story
“When I got to The Salvation Army, I was broken.” As she recalls a more difficult time, Anita’s face shows that she is experiencing a whirlwind of emotion. “I was broken spiritually, emotionally, financially,…
Marvin's Story
Marvin knows that he was not the sort of person that could be trusted. He had an incredibly dark past. For 30 years he was a drug dealer, an addict and worse. He would stay high for days at a time and…
David's Story
Now a medical doctor with a successful practice, David doesn’t actually remember the first time The Salvation Army impacted his life and the lives of his three older brothers. His mother recalls that when…
Jim's Story
For most of his life, Jim just wanted to make a difference in the world. As a child, Jim’s parents took time to explain how giving to The Salvation Army’s Red Kettles meant that people who needed help…
April's Story
Like most parents, April’s one wish for the holidays was to be able to provide for her children – warm food on the table and a few presents under the tree. Many of us take this for granted. Finding herself…
Dontae's Story
At eight years of age, Dontae and his mother were homeless and living at a local shelter. Despite their circumstances, Dontae’s mother tried to remain positive and do what she could to help her son excel.…
Naomi Makes a Difference
Most high school students aren't thinking about how they can make an impact on the world. There are a lot of other things that compete for their attention. For high school senior Naomi, however, having…
Melani's Story
For most of her career, Melani appeared to be the consummate professional. She was well educated, well respected, and had completed nearly 25 years of state employment. Despite the appearance of stability,…
Micah's Story
As a child, Micah’s mother worked tirelessly to provide for her four sons and to raise them right. Micah knew this and loved his mother immensely. When he began to experience abuse by a member of the family,…
Janet's Story
Though Janet volunteered with The Salvation Army for years, the tables were turned when she faced the challenges of unexpected and overwhelming medical bills. She wondered if The Salvation Army could be…
Oscar's Story
The notion of childhood has changed greatly over the past number of years. In the past, children would spend hours outside after school, exploring, learning, and building friendships. Today, it seems that…
Mike's Story
Growing up, Mike describes his childhood as “rather sheltered.” He spent a lot of time at church, playing games with friends after school and reading at home. His passion for books led Mike to aspire to…
Jenny's Story
Jenny is ambitious for a 21 year-old. She had mapped out her life by the time she was 19 and moved to the community from her small town in Virginia to enroll in college. Her dream was to work for a nonprofit,…
Keyvon's Story
Keyvon is a fun-loving eleven year old jokester who loves to make people smile. Unlike most children his age, he likes to keep everything neat and tidy. He even maintains a to-do list for all of the things…
Naomi: The Impact of Camp Walter Johnson
The summer of 2008 was the first in twelve years that I would not be spending at a camp. As a high school student, I began working at camps in British Columbia until I finally found my way south to Camp…