On Monday, June 9, at 10 a.m.-noon, The Salvation Army Washington County HOPE Center (WCHC), located at 1440 SE 21st Ave. in Hillsboro, hosted a Media Tour and Check Presentation Ceremony from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to officially commence Phase II of renovations, including building a client-choice food pantry. Other renovations that are part of Phase II include $925,000 in new construction; $150,000 new roof, and more upgrades that total $1.2 million.
The Church of Jesus Christ is providing a significant grant for the renovation project, which includes a walk-in freezer and refrigerator, pantry equipment, and expansion of the Pathway of Hope program. The Church of Jesus Christ is particularly supportive the Pathway of Hope program because it focuses on breaking generational poverty; it addresses all three sides of human need – mental, spiritual and physical; and it helps breaks barriers related to challenges with unstable housing and job insecurity.
Adam Harvey, Programs Director of WCHC, said the need for the client-choice food pantry is greater than ever. For example, about 200 families were served at the center in 2022. The center is now serving 500 to 600 families per month – a 200 percent increase in need.
“The Salvation Army continues to be committed to serving families and individuals who are most vulnerable, helping them develop self-reliance and a more secure future,” Harvey noted. “The media tour on June 9th represents a significant step towards combating hunger and need in Washington County.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been a long-time supporter of The Salvation Army and the Washington County HOPE Center. Last fall, The Church of Jesus Christ donated 30,000 pounds of food to the center and it continues to support WCHC and other Salvation Army efforts by mobilizing volunteers through JustServe.org.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to support The Salvation Army’s efforts in Washington County, especially through the expansion of the Pathway of Hope program and the renovation of their facilities,” remarked President Blake Bennett, Hillsboro, Oregon Stake President for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “Our faith inspires us to help individuals and families break the cycle of generational poverty by addressing mental, spiritual, and physical needs. We hope this grant will help remove barriers and offer families a stronger foundation and renewed hope for the future.”
The WCHC has contracted with CIDA Architectural to design the state-of-the-art pantry that is equipped to grow with the increasing number of people experiencing food insecurity in Washington County.
Other services at WCHC include a new Mobile Food Pantry, Pathway of Hope program to help break the cycle of generational poverty and provide a pathway to self-sufficiency, and more. The HOPE Center’s mission is to meet the basic human and spiritual needs of our neighbors in Washington County. For more information on WCHC, please visit: https://hillsboro.salvationarmy.org/ or call: (503) 640-4311.
About The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strive to follow the Savior’s example of love and service. The welfare program of the Church concentrates its diligent efforts to care for those in need through welfare and self-reliance initiatives, global humanitarian efforts, and volunteer service. Jesus Christ “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), showing us what it truly means to care for those in need.
About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has been caring for people on the streets of Portland for almost 140 years. Every year, The Salvation Army helps millions of people overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships; working in nearly every ZIP code in America. By providing food, shelter, eviction prevention assistance, emergency disaster relief, addiction recovery, after-school and summer youth programs, spiritual enrichment, and more, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at 6,400 centers of operation around the country. For more information on The Salvation Army Portland Metro, please visit https://portland.salvationarmy.org/. Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salarmypdx/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salarmypdx/.
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