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Salvation Army keeps roofs over families' heads
Note: This is the 13th in a weekly series of articles submitted by the United
Way of Union County that will run during the course of its annual campaign. Each week will feature a different
United Way program. This week’s article features The Salvation Army.
It’s been a tough year for Amber Conn. The mother of two recently moved to Marysville and discovered that she needed surgery to treat
cancer. After recovering from a pair of operations that left her virtually unable to stand up, she returned to
her workplace only to find that she no longer had a job.
"I started working there via a temporary service," Conn said. "Before I left for my surgery, they’d
asked for my application. On the day that I was supposed to be officially hired by the company, I got fired.
They told me I’d missed too many days. Everything was fine until I came back, so it was pretty devastating."
Without an income, the bills started piling up and Conn soon found herself unable to make ends meet. In August,
the gas and electric utilities were to be turned off and an eviction notice for her family’s apartment wasn’t far
behind. That’s when Conn contacted The Salvation Army, which helped her get through the month by picking up the
tab.
The Salvation Army’s Union County Homeless Prevention Program was established in 2004 to help the growing number of local families finding themselves
in financial straits that could cause them to lose their housing. Through direct, one-time financial assistance
to pay the rent or utilities and case management that includes advocacy with landlords, budgeting classes, and
referral to job training for increased employability skills and income, The Salvation Army has filled its own niche
in the community.
"Without the Salvation Army, I don’t know what I would have done," Conn said. "I didn’t have any
money and I didn’t have a job. Without them, we would be homeless."
So might 303 other area households that have been assisted by the United Way Member Agency since the year began,
begging the question of why so many people are truly on the verge of becoming homeless. An analysis of the households
assisted shows that there are children in 74 percent of the households. In two-thirds of those cases, the head
of the household is working. But in these instances, the jobs aren’t paying enough to cover expenses.
"In general the reason a household cannot make all their payments on their rent or utilities is because they
don't make enough money," said Kara Hill, Director of Housing for The Salvation Army. "Many people struggle from month to month
and they may not pay a utility bill one month so they can pay rent instead. For the most part, people do a great
job of juggling everything. But something as simple as a day care issue, an illness, a death in the family, a
separation, or a domestic issue can set a household back and put them in a position where they need assistance."
But Hill warns that an even larger issue is facing Union County: a lack of affordable housing for the growing
number of people working the growing number of low wage jobs in the community. Hill, who oversees The Salvation
Army’s housing programs in Franklin, Delaware, and Union Counties, says that housing costs should not exceed 30
percent of a household’s income. That said, there aren’t many options for families whose major breadwinners work
in retail or service positions. A typical two-bedroom apartment rents for about $600 a month.
"The major difference that I see in Union County is the lack of Subsidized Housing," Hill said. "That
is housing based on a household income. There is no housing authority in Union County, like there is in Franklin
and Delaware, which distributes subsidized housing vouchers and helps bring money into a community to produce subsidized
housing. The lack of affordable housing is greater in Union County and this effects people that are working in
low wage jobs, causing a lack of housing stability."
Hill says the population boom expected to continue in the county will only worsen the problem, overwhelming The
Salvation Army’s ability to fill a social service gap that will have grown to a gaping hole if not addressed.
She suggests that along with subsidized housing, a Federal Housing Authority in Union County is needed. Additional
needs include housing assistance for those who are already homeless and special housing options for people coping
with mental illness or drug and alcohol issues.
"People need and deserve to have access to safe affordable housing," Hill said. "This community
needs to invest in affordable housing and low income housing. Affordable housing needs to be available for the
single wage earning household that works at McDonald's or Wal-Mart."
In the meantime, The Salvation Army continues its role providing help for households that qualify.
"The best part about any of it is knowing that when you’re down and out, there’s somebody that will actually
help," Conn said.·
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FAST FACTS ABOUT THE SALVATION ARMY:
- 2005 United Way allocation was $21,500.
- During the first three quarters of 2005, 304 households had been assisted, totaling
more than $123,000 in aid.
- The program was founded in October 2003 when the United Way of Union County became
its first local funder and opened its doors in January 2004.
- It is the direct result of two years of collaboration among members of the Union
County Housing Coalition to provide a coordinated approach to housing assistance in Union County.
- It is based on a successful program The Salvation Army operates in Delaware County.
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