Almost halfway there: Salvation Army raises $6M for Centre of Hope

Fundraising efforts are underway for the Salvation Army's new Centre of Hope in St. John's, and while it plans to break ground for the facility this fall, the organization still has a way to go in reaching its goal of $14 million.

About one month into its fundraising campaign, the organization has raised almost $6 million.

The Salvation Army is appealing to the public for donations to help with the remaining $8 million.

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Maj.John Goulding, the Salvation Army's divisional secretary for public relations and development for Newfoundland and Labrador, saidthe new centre on Springdale Street is an important space for the local community.

"There are lives that need these kinds of resources, and this kind of a place to come to," he said.

"The Salvation Army is quite delighted that we're able to come back home, because we've been here for such a long period of time, and to be able to rebuild on this location is a great blessing."

Homecoming for group

The organization had operated on Springdale Street for more than 100 years, until its two buildings fell into disrepair. In 2014, a pipe burst and flooded the New Hope Community Centre.

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The centre and the Harbour Light building were torn down in 2015, and a parking lot was later constructed on the site.

Since then, the Salvation Army has been operating next door, out of the basement of the George Street United Church, offering meals twice a week and other services to those in need.

Construction on the new Centre of Hope is expected to begin in 2018.

The four-storey building will have 20 affordable housing units, for homeless or poorly housed people between the ages of 30 and 64.

Two of the floors will have space for various services, including a food bank, a nurse practitioner, a chiropractor, educational programming, a social worker, and correctional and justice services.

Faces of hope

The fundraising campaign, Faces of Hope, includes several videos from people who have used the Salvation Army's services.

The candid interviews tell tales of trauma; drug, alcohol, and gambling addictions; and homelessness.

It's really heart-wrenching to realize that people have walked that kind of journey in life.- Maj.John Goulding, Salvation Army

"When you sit and listen to these stories, it's really heart-wrenching to realize that people have walked that kind of journey in life a journey that's foreign to most of us," Goulding said.

"You feel a lot of compassion and passion for these individuals, and to be able to start walking with them to a place of recovery, a place where they will have a new hope and a new direction in life, it brings great satisfaction and meaning to one's individual life."

From 'floating' to standing strong

Gary Pearcey is one of the people the Salvation Army helped in St. John's.

Pearcey said he could no longer operate his masonry business a couple of years agodue to severe stress, and then for about a year was "floating in between it all," "listless," and "a bit depressed."

On one of his visits to the Salvation Army's sessions in the church last fall, Pearcey saw a poster for its employment training program, and participated.

"It gave me the want to do it again," said Pearcey."To get up and find something, to change. Because if you stay wrapped in your own little bubble, the world just passes you by."

Now, he has a job he loves as custodian at the citadel on Adams Avenue, and hopes the new centre will be built to help more people like him to a better life.

"The best advice I could give [someone] isdon't get lost in your own mind, don't stay in a bubble and don't be isolated from what's out there."