There But For The Grace of God Go I

BY JOAN S. PECK

The proverb “There but for the grace of God go I” is an expression of humility. It’s an acknowledgment that outside factors, such as God’s grace, have played a role in a person’s success in life. For many of us, we know that is true, particularly when we look around and see so many who are not as fortunate as we are, especially with Las Vegas being a place with a large number of homeless people.

Where can those people turn for help? If you think you know everything about The Salvation Army, you might be surprised. I know I was when I learned all that is offered through their organization.

I wanted to know the history of The Salvation Army and was surprised to learn that it was founded in 1865 in the East End of London by William Booth, a one-time Methodist Reform Church minister and his wife, Catherine. They wanted to help the poor and destitute in addition to preaching the gospel to them. Their goal was to meet both their “physical and spiritual needs.”

It was originally called the Christian Mission but changed its name to The Salvation Army in 1878 and gives its clergy titles of military ranks. It is an international charitable organization, present in 131 countries, running charity shops, education, shelters for the homeless, and disaster relief and humanitarian aid to developing countries, as well as many, many programs for those in need. In 1879, Lieutenant Eliza Shirley held the first meeting of The Salvation Army in America in Philadelphia.

I went to visit The Salvation Army’s five-acre campus located at 35 W. Owen Avenue here in Las Vegas. I was met there by Leslee Rogers, a beautiful lady who exuded light and loving energy as she walked toward me with a smile. I soon learned she was not a newcomer to serving at The Salvation Army, having spent time volunteering alongside her husband, Ron, before she was hired full time as the non-profit’s Public Relations Director in 2011. Ron served as Chaplain to the homeless and those with addictions from 1997-2015. After her husband passed away two years ago, Leslee was asked to come back to The Salvation Army and serve, as she says, their “mouthpiece” in her role as Donor and Public Relations Director. With her experience in living with grace and her background of marketing, she does a fabulous job making all those she meets feel loved.

When I mention that her article was going to be under the title of Grace as part of the Faith, Hope, and Charity section, Leslee smiled. “Perfect. Grace is part of all that, and that’s what we at The Salvation Army are all about.”

Leslee Rogers

I was surprised to see so many buildings on campus, many of which displayed the red shield of The Salvation Army. Eight buildings within the campus help to accomplish aspects of the organization’s desire to transform their clients’ lives.

• Overnight shelters for Men and Women
• The Men’s Hostel (74 beds) and The Women’s Hostel (44 beds) rented out on a nightly basis for $20.
• Lied Dining Facility has a large kitchen serving 1000 meals each day
• A free medical clinic offering services from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Housing for veterans
• Safety Dorm housing (18 beds) for transgender men (the only place in the city to offer that)
• Horizon Crest Apartments, located just down the street, has 12 units case-managed by The Salvation Army staff for individuals transitioning to living on their own.
• Within those buildings are several veteran’s programs, and vocational training programs, in addition to case management available to homeless guests and program participants. There are also transitional apartments and more.

I was interested to see the dining facility and to meet the Executive Chef/Dining Room Manager, Jeremy Wood. The kitchen is very large with enough room and equipment to easily feed more than the 1,000 people who come each day to eat at no cost. The kitchen is spotless and has two employees other than Jeremy, and the rest are volunteers.

Jeremy is a large, handsome man who is friendly and open to sharing his history with The Salvation Army. “In 2008, I was an IT guy, and with the financial crash, I lost my business and everything! Too embarrassed to tell my family, I became homeless and took advantage of the free lunch offered at the campus for three years…all the time wishing the food was better,” he laughs. “Then, the chef at that time encouraged me to take the culinary classes to learn to become a cook. I found I really liked it! When a paid position opened to work in the kitchen, I took it, and have been lucky enough to move up into the position I now have.”

Curious, I asked what his favorite meal was to cook. “Short ribs with a red wine reduction sauce, and…” (He had me at the red wine reduction sauce). “I make sure that my meals are filling enough that if this is their only meal of the day, it will sustain them. We also have a Campus Corner Café open to the public, where we use the finest ingredients to make the Valley’s best traditional and new world pizzas. You can choose one of the House Specials or create your own.” Call 702 747-0207 to order!

Have an event coming up? Jeremy caters to corporate events, parties, and family gatherings. Call the above number and speak with Jeremy to create a tasty menu.

Jeremy Wood, Executive Chef/Dining Room Manager

I met a cheery Juan Salinas, Director of Social Services. He is responsible for tracking it all – family services, financials, homelessness, among other things, monthly. He shared a story about Anthony who had moved to Las Vegas in 2017, whose life began to unravel on October 1, 2017. He attended the “Route 91 Harvest” music festival. As the gunshots became apparent, he grabbed two women he didn’t know and positioned them under a table that proved unsafe. As they took off running, it wasn’t until he was ushered into a security area of one of the resorts that he realized he’d been shot in the arm.

The next few days were a blur with surgery, pain medications, and a sense of loss. He had no way of contacting his family back in Florida since his phone was in his backpack on the concert field.

He soon found himself turning to alcohol to dull the emotional pain and memories. Within a few months, he was destitute, living on the streets and addicted. He entered The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center where he spent the next six months attaining sobriety while rediscovering his sense of purpose and self-worth. He entered the 10-week Culinary Arts Program which Jeremy Wood helps to facilitate.

Where is he now? Anthony is working in a restaurant associated with Zion National Park. “I’m very thankful for The Salvation Army and all the donors who help the people out here and give them another chance at life.”

The Salvation Army provides live-in rehab services for both men and women about a mile north of the Homeless Campus at 211 Judson in North Las Vegas. It is a 6-month residential treatment program, supported fully by donations and The Salvation Army Family Thrift Stores. For further information, please call (702) 399-2769.

Recently, the City of Las Vegas approved a ban on sleeping and camping in a public right-of-way if emergency shelter beds are available. Another proposal was approved to restrict sidewalk usage further. The Department of Operation and Maintenance will designate certain hours for public sidewalk maintenance and cleaning, and it will become a misdemeanor to sleep or sit down in certain areas—“no person shall sit, lie, sleep, camp, or otherwise obstruct the cleaning of the designated public sidewalks.” If arrested, it comes with an up to $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

What is the issue?

The Corridor of Hope – the area north of downtown where homeless shelters and services are concentrated – are at capacity. Each night, there are more than 6,500 homeless people, and between the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Shade Tree, The Las Vegas Rescue Mission and others, there are beds for less than 1,500 people.

Want to help?

If we are truly to live in GRACE (“God’s grace gives us the desire and power to do his will”) on an individual basis, we need to step up and do something to rectify this situation.

One of the buildings on the Salvation Army Campus is empty and ready to be renovated so that it can shelter more homeless people day and night. What is needed? Money, of course. Any amount helps. Please send your contribution to Leslee Rogers at The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 28369, Las Vegas, NV 89126, or call Leslee Rogers to make a credit card donation or donate online by visiting SalvationArmySouthernNevada.org and clicking on the Red Kettle in the upper right corner of the home page. Please indicate that the donation is for the homeless shelter.

I drove away from the campus, and the homeless who were gathered along the street humbled to see so many others less fortunate than me without a safe place to put their head each night. It is disturbing to know there is so much contrast in our world today with an increasing divide between the haves and have-nots with many unable to afford housing, food, and the simple necessities. At the same time, I left the campus uplifted at having experienced the grace of those I’d just met to recognize themselves in others and to love them for who they are. There is hope, faith, charity and grace in that.

Juan Salinas, Director of Social Services