The Salvation Army in Saskatoon recently celebrated 100 years of service at its Avenue C location, where Crossroads Residential Services is situated. For a century, this branch has supported people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. The Army hosted a street party in June to mark the occasion.

“With permission from the city, we blocked off the street in front of our shelter and had a party,” says Major Gordon Taylor, executive director, Crossroads Residential Services. “We had three different musical groups performing, including the Saskatoon Temple Band. We had speeches from the mayor, the local member of Parliament, local member of the Legislative Assembly and a representative from our divisional headquarters.”

The celebration also included a barbecue, which was prepared and served by Salvation Army staff and volunteers. “Everyone pitched in, and it all came really well together,” Major Taylor adds.

Crossroads operates one of only three emergency shelters in Saskatoon. It is open around the clock, seven days a week, providing clients with three meals a day and intensive case management to help residents move toward permanent housing. In addition, it operates a transitional housing facility, a correctional halfway house and a group home. “The last couple of years, we’ve also hosted a winter warm-up site in partnership with a local Catholic church,” says Major Taylor.

The main focus at Crossroads is to support clients experiencing housing instability. While Major Taylor believes their shelter plays a crucial role for people needing a place to stay, he admits some guests require more care and that is something they are working to improve.

“Some of our guests are not ready for a case management plan, so we have been advocating to fill this need,” he says.

One way to better meet clients’ needs has been by growing their spiritual care work.

“A couple of years ago, we added a lead chaplain position. Since then, we have been seeing great results when it comes to building relationships with our clients,” he says. “We are looking to continue doing more of what we are doing. There is no magic wand solution to eliminating homelessness, but every single step forward matters.”