Major Willie Mae Lyle, Divisional Secretary for The Salvation Army Greater Philadelphia, Susan Brotherton, Director of Social Services for Greater Philadelphia, and Phil Pagliaro

Divisional Director, Marketing & Organizational Advancement

The Salvation Army, Eastern Pennsylvania & Delaware Division, discussed the Salvation Army’s holistic approach to providing for the needs of the whole individual – physically, emotionally, economically and spiritually how this holistic approach helps families.   The Salvation Army operated through 16 community centers and residential facilities throughout the Philadelphia region, providing emergency and transitional shelter, disaster relief, hot meals, counseling, early childhood development, recreational opportunities, music programs, after-school arts and educational programs, job training, activities for older adults, spiritual development, drug rehabilitation and more.  Major Lyle spoke of her experiences growing up poor and how the Salvation Army fed her family and offered her things to do to help build her character.  She discussed their goal to lift families out of poverty and into self-sufficiency.   She also spoke about their disaster relief efforts, calling the Army, ‘Minute Men’ – they’re there in a minute to help with hurricanes, floods or fire.    Susan discussed the trauma facing the residents of the Frankfort area, dealing with some of the highest poverty and addition rates in the region.  She reminds us that Philadelphia has the highest poverty of the major cities and hunger is increasing here while dropping across the country.  She spoke of ACEs, Adverse Childhood Experiences and their work to counter them.  She also discussed human trafficking and their shelter and drop in center for women, to help them escape this and other dangers.   Paul reminded us that the Red Kettle Drive every holiday helps support these programs, as well as after school homework help, basketball and music lessons, senior centers and the annual summer camp. 

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