Coats for Kids Needs Your Coats

 Once again, your neighborhood letter carrier is helping to ensure that kids have coats in Monroe County.

They even make it easy. All you have to do to leave new or gently used winter coats by your mailbox and the letter carriers will deliver them to The Salvation Army.  How much easier could it get?!

If you are out and about there are additional spots where you can drop off your coats, some are arranged through a partnership with Spirit 95. They are all listed here with a link where available:

• Bloomington Post Office
• Ellettsville Post Office
• Unionville Post Office
• Foster Quad
• The Herald Times
• Fountain Square Mall
• Head Start
• 10/9  IU Credit Union on Winslow from 11a – 2p
• 10/16 Harley Davidson Buell of Bloomington from 4p -6p
• 10/23 Once Upon a Child from 4p – 6p
• 10/30 Crystal Pure from 11a – 2p

The drive is going on now, and concludes October 27. At which time, the coats will be given to The Salvation Army who will distribute the coats to those in need from our community.

Otherwise, please contact The Salvation Army’s caseworker, Monica Clemons for more information.

Harvest Festival Approaches

Global poverty is a serious issue that we address with a bit of fun.

Every day 2.7 billion people struggle to live on less than $2 a day,according to the UN Millennium Project . Unclean water sources and relatedly diarrhea are a major cause of death for 2.6 billion who do not have basic sanitation. Women are poorly educated if at all, despite the evidence that education reaps myriad benefits for women and the community.

The Salvation Army is in these places, serving 118 countries worldwide, but the Corps serving in impoverished circumstanses look to places like Bloomington for support.

We are hosting the 2009 Harvest Festival: Auction and Dinner to support our brothers and sisters around the world, and we’re having fun doing it. If you’ve never attended a Billy Williams auction before, you’re missing out. He’ll be auctioning off tables of merchandise October 03; the prices are always right. All the proceeds directly benefit Salvation Army offices in needy locations worldwide. There will also be a dinner before hand, which you can get tickets by calling 336-4310.

450 Children Going to School in Style

In just one morning, over 500 people filled the Bloomington Corps parking lot where they waited to get back-to school items.

Thankfully, with the help from area churches and businesses there was just enough to go around. On that morning 450 children recieved a new backpack, socks, underwear, shoes and school supplies. Everything was brand new, and it was like shopping at the kids favorite store, except it was in a gymnasium with a large Salvation Army shield on the floor. All remaining supplies will be donated to local school corportations.  

Thank you for donating, because when you do you make a big impact in our community!

Community Coming Together

The congregation at Faith Lutheran Churchin Bloomington had a lot going for them last week. They began construction on a large addition to their church and they hosted their annual vacation Bible school called Spirit Camp.

Every year, Spirit Camp chooses an organization to donate items which the children bring with them as they walk into the church. This year The Salvation Army was approached and we gave a list of items that shocked the congregation.

Instead of asking for canned goods, The Salvation Army requested personal items such as soaps, shampoos, diapers,  toilet paper and feminine products. The Hoosier Hills Food Bank does a great job of keeping our pantry stocked. but more and more clients have begun to ask for personal items.

The Faith Lutheran Youth (FLY) group was called up upon to help raise awareness and collect the items for The Salvation Army.

And did they ever succeed; Faith Lutheran Church donated close to 300 pounds!

For more information about where these donations go, please click here.

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