The Salvation Army creed is seen on a bell ringer’s pole in front of a Kmart store December 2, 2004 in Chicago, Illinois. Several major national retailers have banned Salvation Army bell ringers, including Target stores. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
Reporting John Cody
ST. CHARLES, Ill. (CBS) — West of Chicago, the Salvation Army is providing the same services in the suburbs as it does in urban areas.
WBBM Newsradio’s John Cody talks with an unemployed construction worker who has received assistance over the years from the St. Charles Salvation Army Community Center.
Dale – he asks that his full name be kept confidential – says seeking out help from the Salvation Army wasn’t his first choice during hard times.
“You want to make it on your own, especially being a man,” he says. “I’m 53 years old, I want to make it on my own. I don’t want handouts, but sometimes you’ve got to have resources to where someone can help pull you out of the ditch.”
Dale’s wife is too sick to work. He says the Salvation Army helped by covering a mortgage and some utility bills, without demanding any church visits in return.
Dale says when he did finally make it by church, the doors were open.
He says the organization asked if he could help someone else by installing a water heater. He was only too glad to oblige.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s John Cody Reports
