Salvation Army Won't Leave People In The Cold Despite New Shelter Policy

The Salvation Army has a new policy when it comes to people staying at their shelters. It won't leave people out in the cold, but it will push them to be more self-sufficient.

Every night the Salvation Army's Center of Hope has over 320 people spending the night. Wednesday night was the coldest of the season, so that number was up to nearly 400.

On the warmer nights, though, people who come here should limit the time they stay or it could cost them.

The Salvation Army's red kettles are synonymous with the holiday season. The money dropped inside helps the Salvation Army stick to its motto: "Doing the most good."

But Captain Ken Chapman said, in some cases, the good becomes a crutch.

"We discovered that we actually felt like we were part of the problem, enablers, by allowing the same people, year after year after year, to stay here for free," he said.

To cut down on the repeat visitors, the Salvation Army implemented a new policy two months ago.

A person can stay at the shelter for free 14 days out of the year; the15th day the person must pay $10.

Some say the policy is cruel, but Chapman calls it a responsibility.

"If they can afford a cell phone, I saw the price of cigarettes the other day $7.50 a pack, if they can afford that habit they should have some responsibility," he said.

But there are exceptions to the rules.

Whenever the weather drops below freezing they'll often get an influx of people, and to make room for them all, they end up placing mats where there's open space.

The other way around the housing policy is to enroll in one of the transitional programs. The people in the program can stay at the shelter for up to two years; and through the program, they learn life and financial skills

Chapman said, "We still love everyone. We still want to make sure we serve everyone inclusively without discrimination, but we want to do a better job of not being enablers."

Salvation Army representatives said they are always working to make the most of resources and donations, especially during this busy season.

You can donate of course to the red kettle, the angel tree program, or online.