THE SALVATION ARMY
Southern New England Division Serving Connecticut and Rhode Island
Headquarters:855 Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105
(860) 543-8400
Lt. Colonel Barbara A. Hunter,
Divisional Commander
THE SALVATION ARMY
Whether it’s embracing the homeless, uplifting the abused or abandoned, training and mentoring the disadvantaged, providing character building programs for youth, or assisting the displaced or elderly, The Salvation Army’s goal remains the same: serving the most people, meeting the most needs, DOING THE MOST GOOD!
- Who:
Mission Statement:
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
- What:
The Salvation Army exists to serve the people of Connecticut and Rhode Island in their time of need -- great or small. Each individual is addressed as a whole person with physical, emotional and spiritual needs. The Salvation Army aspires to assist individuals to become more independent through a variety of services and programs.
- Where:
Internationally, The Salvation Army serves in over 111 countries. In Southern New England, there are 29 Corps Community Centers and also volunteer-driven Service Units located in all other communities throughout the two states. Providing similar services, these units are an extension of the Army in places where a center building is not located.
The 29 Corps Community Centers are located in: (Connecticut) Ansonia, Bridgeport, Bristol, Danbury, East Hartford, Fair Haven, Hartford (four locations), Manchester, Meriden, Middletown, New Britain, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, Norwich, Stamford, Torrington, Waterbury, West Hartford, and Willimantic; and in (Rhode Island) Newport, Pawtucket and Providence. There are some centers that have two very different worship programs -- one in English and one in Spanish. In West Hartford, services for the Laotian community are conducted.
Volunteer-driven Service Units are located in all other communities throughout the two states. These units are an extension of the Army in places where a Community Center building is not located, with the exception of Winsted, where a Service Center provides food pantry, afterschool services and other programs. Service Unit volunteers can provide assistance to help people with utility and rental assistance, car repair, medical needs, and other unique services. Working in cooperation with other local agencies, a Service Unit serves to keep people in need from "falling between the cracks".
People often wonder what some of the symbols of The Salvation Army mean. There are two identifiable logos that we use, and several very distinctive outward "trademarks" you might see:
The Salvation Army Shield is the "community service" logo of the Army. It was used to symbolize the human services work of our organization, which began in 1896. The origin of the shape seems to indicate that the shield is an enlargement of the type worn in earlier days by Salvationists, mostly women, to join their collar. "The message of the shield . . . tells of a fight on a spiritual battlefield which must last as long as life itself, and that God in Christ is a shield to protect and save us to the uttermost."
The Salvation Army Crest is the ecclesiastical logo of the Army. It is a worldwide symbol of Christian compassion and service, first appearing in 1879 and symbolizes the Army's doctrines. The round figure (sun) represents the light and fire of the Holy Spirit. The cross in the center is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The "S" stands for salvation. The Swords stand for the warfare of salvation. The 7 Shots stand for the seven truths of the Gospel. The Crown, is the crown of glory which God will give to all His soldiers who are faithful to the end.
The Salvation Army Uniform. Identifies the wearer as a member of a worldwide evangelical movement, and is a silent witness to the fact that the wearer is a Christian. The insignias on the uniform indicate different rank and position in the organization -- blue worn by local laity and soldiers, red/maroon worn by ordained ministers with varying degrees of rank from Lieutenants to General. The "S" on the uniform stands for Saved to Save and Saved to Serve.
The Salvation Army Flag. The blue symbolizes the purity of God, red represents the blood of Jesus Christ, yellow is the fire of the Holy Spirit, "Blood and Fire" stands for the shed blood of Jesus and the purifying power of the Holy Spirit, and the Star represents the fire of the Holy Spirit. The flag is international with the words, "Blood and Fire" appearing in the language of each nation.