The Loren Hotels Group has donated furniture and household items to The Salvation Army in Bermuda, which will primarily support the Army’s shelter programs. The hotel group is currently redeveloping the former Elbow Beach Hotel property into a new hospitality site. During an initial walkthrough of the location, members of the construction team noticed that furnishings in some rooms, such as beds, chairs and lamps, had been left behind in good condition. “Instead of throwing all this out, we wanted to give others a chance to use it,” says Billy Dixon of the Loren Hotels Group. “There was no reason for it to go to waste.”

“I hit rock bottom and ended up on the street in Port Coquitlam, B.C., where I met my girlfriend,” Jon Armstrong says. “We spent five years in Abbotsford on the streets, living in a tent, because back then I was unfit for shelters.” But then he met The Salvation Army.  Now, as an employee at The Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope in Abbotsford, Jon uses his story and experiences to better assist those who come to the centre for help overcoming their issues. “If I can show even one person that it’s possible, that’s all I need.”

For people who are experiencing homelessness, the first few months after transitioning into housing can be challenging. The transition can come with financial stresses, food insecurity, trouble navigating systems and resources, and adapting to independent living. Welcome Home, a program launched by The Salvation Army’s community and family
In August, The Salvation Army in Fernie, B.C., celebrated 125 years of active service in the community. A moving prayer breakfast at a local hotel kicked off the anniversary weekend, followed by a family fun afternoon in the parking lot of the thrift store with a dunk tank, bouncy castle, games, a free barbecue and live music by an ensemble of