St. Clair County and Belleville Salvation Army assistance programs.
There are several long term as well as emergency social services provided by the St. Clair County Salvation Army. In addition to a shelter located in Belleville, the faith based church group can offer solutions around food, employment, counseling, and even rental and/or utility bill assistance. There are other assistance programs also offered by the organization as noted below.
This center also works with other regional Salvation Army centers, as there are several. Together they work to help the homeless, families living in poverty, or anyone in a crisis. They partner to raise items from the community, using volunteers. There are also corporation, churches, and United Way groups that all donate to the church for programs ranging from free Christmas gifts from Angel Tree to school supply programs.
One of the services is the day care/latch key program. It is available from the Belleville Salvation Army for children to drop in at after elementary, middle, or high school. It will provide the student a safe place to go while waiting for the parent to return from their job. Or the student can drop in if their parent is in some type of job training program as well. While there a small snack can be provided, and the student can do their homework.
Temporary lodging is available from the shelter. This will not only give the homeless a place to go, but hot meals are served a few days per week as well. While there the client can also use services such as a laundry or computer for job searching or to apply for benefits. The overnight shelter number is 618-236-2167.
Emergency rental, heating, and utility bill assistance may be offered by the St. Clair County Salvation Army. This is short term, limited, and depends on many factors. This includes the applicant's income; whether they have a plan in place for stability; the Salvation Army funding levels; and much more. The funds can help provide relief to postpone an eviction or utility disconnection. If that support does not work, find other methods to apply for rent assistance as they do exist
Food assistance programs are also offered. Free hot lunches as well as dinner meals are served, and there are even mid-day type meals. They are offered 3 days per week, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. There is also of course free, non-perishable groceries from the food bank. The contents may be cereal, baby formula, paper products, rice, canned meat, and similar foodstuffs.
Seasonal programs from Salvation Army in St. Clair County
There are 4 main ones, and others come and go. These are all run by volunteers and rely on donations too. Applications will always be required way before the programs are technically disbursing items, so any family that is considering applying needs to keep that in mind as well. Some corporations in the region also donate surplus gift cards or items to these services.
There first, most widely used will be the holiday assistance programs. Those come in multiple varieties. There are free Christmas toys from Angel Tree as well as Thanksgiving meals, Christmas meal baskets, and resources including Toys for Tots. Hundreds of kids from low income families benefit from these each year. The elderly can also be given a small gift too.
Another one will be Thanksgiving meal services. Anyone in need of a place to go to eat, or just companionship, can drop in for a turkey and more. They serve the homeless, senior citizens, and children among others. The church also help at Easter time, another key holiday.
Seasonal program number four tries to prepare students for the school year. The Belleville location works to collect school supplies for kids from lower to moderate income households, and then they are given out before the year starts. There may be clothing, backpacks, shoes, belts, uniforms, and other supplies.
For more information on the services from the St. Clair County, the address is 20 Glory Pl., Belleville, Illinois 62226-5806. Call the charity at 618-235-7378.
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