Franklin County Salvation Army assistance programs in Massachusetts.
Whether someone needs food or other social services, the Franklin County Salvation Army is a faith based group that may be able to help. Applicants will need to meet income and other conditions, but there are no restrictions based on religion or age. In fact, the Salvation Army will even try to provide additional assistance to senior citizens in the Greenfield region.
Case managers from the center will interview the applicant. Based on the results of this process, they will try to refer the family to some form of support. The primary assistance programs that may be arranged are below, and many are part of the larger state of Massachusetts network. Also, all of the advice is always free and confidential.
When a resident is completely out of options, they may be found qualified for emergency assistance. This is always a last resort and is not common though. The programs may help with the following.
- Food can be disbursed from the pantry as noted below. This will help those on the verge of hunger.
- Families with a utility disconnection or eviction notice can apply for a grant to pay a portion of their rent or utilities, including from Good Neighbor Fund.
- Clothing, vouchers for medications, a ride to a job interview, and other emergency services may be offered by the Franklin County Salvation Army.
- Fans for the sick and elderly may be passed out during the summer, or financial aid can help with water bills to keep a family safe.
The Salvation Army also has partnership with other non-profit agencies in Greenfield and across Massachusetts. As no one organization will be able to fulfill every request, in most cases the family may need to work with two or three different agencies. So the case manager will offer these referrals. Both to non-profits as well as other benefits, such as food stamps and other public aid.
Individuals that need a place to stay can look into the Salvation Army in Greenfield shelter. There are sites for domestic violence survivors as well as veterans in the region. Other key clients of the housing can be women, children, or even men that are homeless. The locations can keep a resident warm during the winter or cool during the summer. The main goal is to keep the client safe and off the streets. Then, this shelter will prepare the person for future transitional housing.
The Salvation Army of Franklin County Angel Tree is for children from low income families in the region. It is a key resource available to the working poor to ensure they have some type of holiday joy given to them.
There is a registration period that opens during the fall months. This will be when households with children can sign up. Also, this is when local businesses or individuals that reside in Franklin County can agree to participate. They are also key as without their generous contributions then Angel tree program could not even run.
Once the child has been enrolled, they will be able to receive assistance. There may be everything from toys to gifts and clothing given to them. It will really depend on what was requested and what the community obtained for the Angel tree.
There are other basic needs that can be provided by the Franklin County Salvation Army centers. Some of them are as follows.
- A thrift store is open for people to shop at. Everything from furniture to clothing is offered.
- During the back to school season, clothing, school supplies, and maybe vouchers for local stores are passed out.
- Other holiday support may be Thanksgiving meals or Easter food baskets.
- The agency can offer referrals to Summer Camps for children, disaster relief, and also much more, such as senior housing.
No matter when the request is, the staff will try to help those that are taking steps to improve their situation. To learn more, call Franklin County based Massachusetts Salvation Army center at (413)-773-3154. The main address is 72 Chapman St., Greenfield.
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