The Salvation Army, Clark county

Agency Description:
The Salvation Army was founded in London, England, in 1865; initiated in the United States in 1879; and commenced operations in Las Vegas in 1945. The Salvation Army, A California Corporation is a faith-based 501(c) 3, and operates in Southern Nevada as The Salvation Army, Clark County. The Salvation Army, Clark County is a part of the Southwest Division. The Southwest Division is a part of the Western Territory of The Salvation Army. Today, The Salvation Army is one of the most highly regarded and most generously supported nonprofit organizations in Clark County/Las Vegas, and has in place an excellent administrative framework within which to operate. The Salvation Army has fifteen programs and Corps sites providing services in Southern Nevada.

Local History:
The Salvation Army is the oldest and longest continual provider of homeless services of Southern Nevada, specifically the Las Vegas area. The Salvation Army was founded in Las Vegas in 1947 and was incorporated in Nevada on December 17, 1947. The Salvation Army of Las Vegas was designated a 501c3 in October 10, 1955 and began emergency shelter operations in 1963.

Objectives:
The Salvation Army’s objectives are tied to its mission statement and the specific programs that it operates. The religious portion of the mission statement is accomplished through its Corps (Church) and individuals departments designed to meet a specific need or service. The social service programs are intended to “meet human needs without discrimination”. Each of the programs will have goals and objectives specific to their designated or funded service.
Programs and Services: The Salvation Army of the Clark County Command in Las Vegas provides the following services and programs: Family Social Services, Adult Day Care, Homeless Day Shelter, Homeless Emergency Lodging, Vocational Training, Drug, Alcohol and Gambling Addictions Treatment, Rehabilitative Services, Mental Health Services, Mental Health Group Home with supportive services, Transitional Housing and Senior Affordable Housing.

The Salvation Army also provides Emergency/Disaster Services in support of Disaster First Responders and Long Term Recovery activities for the survivors of a disaster.

The Salvation Army, on its 6 acre Owens Avenue complex, operates a series of Programs of Progressive Care that work with the homeless and can take them from the streets through treatment, rehabilitation, vocational training, mental health services into transitional housing. A permanent housing project, funded by tax credits, HUD SHP Continuum of Care, and HOME dollars will be constructed in 2006/2007 and complete the process of moving homeless individuals from street homelessness to permanent, housed, independent living.

The Homeless Services department operates the Day Resource Center for homeless people. The Day Resource Center operates with funding provided by the State of Nevada, the City of Las Vegas, and private donations. It is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to provide referrals, showers, clothing vouchers, and other services. It is open seven days a week for overnight sleeping on mats. The Salvation Army Homeless Services Emergency Shelter provides overnight sleeping accommodations for over 175 people.

The Salvation Army Homeless Mental Health Services Department operates a “Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness” (P.A.T.H.) program to provide outreach, intervention, assessment, and supportive case management services for homeless people who have a serious mental illness. The P.A.T.H. program began operation in 1992 through funding from federal dollars through the State of Nevada, Department of Human Resources, and Division of Mental Hygiene and Mental Retardation. In 1999, HUD chose the Salvation Army’s PATH Program as one of Seven “Exemplary programs” from the 360 PATH programs operated nation wide.
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In 1996, The Salvation Army Homeless Mental Health Services opened a group home, Pathways, to provide supportive services in a residential setting for 42 homeless men and women with serious mental illness. This facility is a HUD funded program. HUD also funded a 25-bed “Safe Haven” facility in 1997 to provide shelter for homeless men and women with serious mental illness. It serves as a base for other supportive services funded independently of the Safe Haven. These are a few examples of the many services for the homeless population offered by The Salvation Army Homeless Services of Las Vegas, Nevada. On any given day over 400 people are living on the Owens Avenue campus of The Salvation Army. Each month over 4,000 individuals will have received assistance through one of our programs. In the event of a disaster, recovery services are offered to all victims of the disaster, as resources are made available.

The family Services department provides assistance to Housed Families and individuals who have emergency needs beyond their ability to meet. These services are financial, direct food assistance and counseling / education.

The Salvation Army follows General Accounting Standards issued by the Comptroller General of The United States along with additional requirements specified by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Government, and Non-Profit Organizations.
The Salvation Army has a standardized accounting system throughout it’s Western Territory, linking city Corps through divisional commands, to the Territorial Corporate Headquarters. The online accounting system is computerized with actual hard copy transaction materials maintained and stored for permanent record keeping. The Territory Corporate Headquarters develops and enacts with board approval all policies and governing procedures.
The Salvation Army utilizes; but not limited to, purchase orders and/or requisitions, approved for payment, invoices, cancelled checks, monthly bank reconciliation, journal entry logs, and payroll records for accounting activities and permanent record keeping. Along with these records, all computerized accounting transactions are printed and stored.
An Advisory Board is elected at each local Corps. This board meets monthly and votes on program changes, property or equipment purchases, and any other major issues or initiatives concerning the local Corps. Various reports are provided at these monthly board meetings and minutes are recorded.
All local Corps are annually audited internally by the Divisional Command for budgets under $1,000,000 and Territorial Headquarters for those over this amount. All local Corps, which receive over $100,000 in Federal Funds or United Way contributions receive an annual independent A-133 Audit.