Since its founding in 1865 in London, England, The Salvation Army has spread worldwide to 133 countries and has become the largest non-governmental provider of social services in the United States. To say that their presence in America has become ubiquitous would be a gross understatement. The Salvation Army is, quite literally, everywhere including the Vail Valley. As many of you will remember, in early September, they were given 30 days to vacate the building they had occupied for the past 13 years on the Traer Creek Plaza property in Avon so that the owner of the property could develop it.

 

Despite the fact that the organization had been using their HQ rent free, the sudden eviction came as a shock to the staff and volunteers, and they began to scramble to answer a vital question: where can we find another location that will not only provide the office space we need but also the land to relocate our garden and greenhouse facilities? The office space question was quickly answered when the Vail Daily offered space rent free until they can find a permanent home, but the acreage they need for their agricultural component remains elusive.

 

These agricultural efforts are critical to our Salvation Army’s mission. Following the ancient proverb, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” (please forgive the obvious gender bias), the Salvation Army has operated a program to not only provide fresh vegetables for locals in need, but also teach them basic agricultural skills to grow their own food as well as other educational and mental health programs.

 

During a recent conversation with Jana Morgan, a Salvation Army board member and Singletree resident, the scope and reach of our own Salvation Army became both clear and impressive. With a paid staff of only three, but a volunteer cadre of, literally, hundreds, our Vail Valley Salvation Army chapter provides food boxes for up to 1600 local families 12 months of the year - depending on the season and the level of need. But they do not do this alone.

 

They participate in a food rescue program at both Costco and City Market where they collect fresh meat and vegetables that are close to their “sell by” dates to distribute to locals in need. They also buy food from the Food Bank of the Rockies to fill any gaps in their pantry. Plus, they participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program).  TEFAP supports food producers nationwide by offering grants to relief programs throughout the country that offer food to families in need. These agencies, in turn, are able to actually buy protein and produce rather than having to rely solely on donations.

 

Jana went on to explain what the requirements of a local Salvation Army facility are. In addition to being as close to their clients as possible, they need to locate near the bus line to make access as easy as possible, and they need acreage for their food production and training programs. As of this writing, a number of possibilities have emerged and are currently under consideration, and hopefully as of this reading, the proven generosity of our wonderful Valley has kicked in and the problem has been solved.

 

In the meantime, the Salvation Army’s most public visible effort, the annual holiday Red Kettle program, is in full swing throughout our community. Since right after Thanksgiving, the bell ringers have been stationed outside from The Village Market and Hovey & Harrison in Edwards to City Market in Edwards and West Vail as well as Walmart. Accompanied by their cheery bells and red kettles, these volunteers endure the slings and arrows of our sometimes less than forgiving environment to collect much necessary funds that enable the Salvation Army to continue their vital work. But this effort has, perhaps not surprisingly, been severely hampered by technology and a pandemic.

 

When folks carried actual cash, the Red Kettle program could be counted on to contribute $75,000 to the agency’s coffers every year. As we all know, since 2020 and the Covid pandemic, the use of cash has largely been replaced by credit/debit cards and such phone apps as Apple Pay and Google Pay. This seismic shift in payment habits was prompted by our Covid fear of germs being passed from hand to hand with the exchange of a $20 bill. While the shift may have solved one problem, it had the unintended consequence of removing folding money and change from our wallets, purses, and pockets. After all, who needs to scramble for exact change when your iPhone can provide that for you?

 

What all this has meant for the Salvation Army is that their Red Kettle program’s annual contribution to the budget has shrunk from $75,000 to $40,000 since 2020. But they have fought back by offering technology in the form of a QR code prominently displayed at the donation sites for use by donors who are currency challenged. It is also important to note that every dollar contributed using the QR code goes directly to our local Salvation Army’s coffers.

 

They have also expanded their fundraising efforts to other programs. In August, they began their Empty Bowls program. For $25, a donor can enjoy a bowl of soup served in a handmade ceramic bowl that the donor can take home. The soup is donated by many local restaurants, two of which are Sweet Basil and Mountain Standard. It is no coincidence that both are owned by Jana and her husband, Matt. In addition to the Empty Bowls program, they held a Golf Tournament in September which netted the Salvation Army $65,000. The tournament included a “miracle minute” which encouraged attendees to donate to the Red Kettle program using the same QR code used by the bell ringers.

 

All of these efforts have allowed the Salvation Army to expand their annual Harvest Party which distributes about 1600 boxes of food to our community between Thanksgiving and Christmas!

 

Jana and Matt Morgan and their two restaurants have been leaders of both the culinary as well as the philanthropic efforts that make our Valley so special. Jana has been a Salvation Army board member for the past nine years and their two restaurants, Sweet Basil and Mountain Standard, have been meeting our dining needs as well as providing support and sustenance to those of our community with the greatest needs.

 

If you would like to join the Morgans and lend a hand to their efforts, you can go the Salvation Army’s website at www.vail.salvationarmy.org or you can scan their QR code below to make a direct gift to our local Salvation Army. You can also volunteer to be a bell ringer here – www.registertoring.com. Happy Holidays and thanks for all you do!