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Articles by Hillary Jackson
Building a community where recovery can grow
The Cheyenne Corps’ weekly recovery classes help people find connection, understanding and community beyond treatment. In 2023, Nate Johnson was on the right track toward sobriety, but he knew he needed support to stay there. He found some of that support when a Salvation Army bus picked him up from a substance use treatment center in Columbia, Missouri, and brought him to church, creating a connection he would carry with him wherever he went.
Chaplains bring emotional and spiritual support to Silvercrest senior communities
Retired Salvation Army officers bring companionship and emotional and spiritual support to Silvercrest residents. In October 2025, retired Salvation Army officer Major Bob Lloyd joined the North Las Vegas Silvercrest as a part-time chaplain in a pilot program placing retired officers in the Army’s senior housing communities. For resident Paul Slusarski, the move has made an impact. “Chaplain Bob has made himself useful in any number of ways,” he said.
ARC alumnus builds connection on the streets, at the corps and beyond
After rebuilding his life through the ARC, Jesus Vargas-Flores now helps others find recovery through connection, outreach and ongoing support. The streets are still quiet as Jesus Vargas-Flores heads out with The Salvation Army’s Santa Monica Hope Team for morning street outreach alongside officers from the Santa Monica Police Department. They move through neighborhoods, stopping when they can and checking in with people who spent the night outside. Some keep to themselves, he said.
How substance use and recovery inspired one man to find new purpose
Francisco Quintero grew up participating in a lot of activities. When he started college, he added even more work to his schedule, resulting in him getting only an hour of sleep every night. A friend offered him something that could give him more energy—cocaine. Despite completing a Salvation Army rehabilitation program, Francisco’s struggles didn’t end overnight.
Training supports disaster responders as they support survivors
In the aftermath of the Spokane wildfires and beyond, Salvation Army personnel trained in emotional/spiritual care make an impact, sometimes without saying anything at all. In the aftermath of the Spokane Complex Fires, Captain Kyna Kelley came across a group of six men and a woman, standing in the rubble of what she learned was once some of the group members’ home. Kelley felt small next to the men—as a petite person, she noticed their height and their demeanor.
Salvation Army Bible correspondence course helps grow faith behind bars
Program assigns volunteer graders to review lessons and return feedback by mail. When Beverly Locke was incarcerated, she completed The Salvation Army’s Bible correspondence course. “To be honest, when I first started doing it, it was because I didn’t have anything else to do,” she said. “But then it started getting into me.” Over time, she said, the lessons became more meaningful, shaping her faith.
Service Extension Unit volunteers extend The Salvation Army’s reach
Across rural and underserved regions, service units provide vital care. “We filled two needs this week,” said Salvation Army volunteer Richard Brown. “One was for pediatric dental surgery for a 4-year-old boy and the second was rental assistance for a 68-year-old man who was struggling.” Those kinds of needs come up regularly through The Salvation Army Service Extension Unit Brown leads in Blaine County, Idaho.
Foster Grandparents make a difference at Salvation Army programs
A volunteer partnership through Pepperdine University pairs older adults with youth programs. Every day, kids in The Salvation Army Long Beach Red Shield After School Program come in for a snack after playing outside. Today, over bowls of popcorn, they chat with each other. Some play, others engage with older adult volunteers seated at the tables. Then it’s upstairs for homework support. When it’s all done: game time. “Michael is the Uno king,” said Brenda Doby of fellow volunteer Michael Jackson.
Equal-weight S&P 500 is leading the 2026 market and its flagship trade just hit $100 billion
The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP), the oldest, largest, and most popular ETF using this approach surpassed $100 billion in assets for the first time this month. In 2026, the equal-weight approach to the U.S. large-cap stock market index has outperformed the market-weight index that serves as the core exposure for the vast majority of investors.
Equal-weight S&P 500 is leading the 2026 market and its flagship trade just hit $100 billion
Finance 16 hours ago President Donald Trump Claims Fuel Prices Are "Tumbling Down," but Trumpflation Has Become a Broad-Based Problem The Motley Fool - Sean Williams • 16h Energy prices aren't the headline inflation story any longer.
Investors scored on Iran war's oil market boom. Staying long the trade will get trickier Original
A sailor observes the oil tanker HELGA, which is moored at one of Iraq's southern offshore oil terminals near Basra, as it prepares to load crude oil, becoming the second vessel to arrive since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, April 24, 2026.
Club 60 nourishes the body and spirit in community
The Salvation Army in San Diego County offers seniors meals in a welcoming community. This story is part of Caring’s 2026 print edition, “Joy That Moves,” featuring lives changed through the joy of giving. Read the issue here. At first glance, it’s a senior nutrition program—a hot meal at lunch, and now breakfast at some sites.
The ripple effect of joy
How one act of care becomes many This story is part of Caring’s 2026 print edition, “Joy That Moves,” featuring lives changed through the joy of giving. Read the issue here. The door closes quietly behind them. For weeks—maybe months—Nick Carrillo carried the same question everywhere he went: What are we going to do? Where would his family sleep? What would happen next?
Meet the joy spreaders
The joy doesn’t stop with them. This story is part of Caring’s 2026 print edition, “Joy That Moves,” featuring lives changed through the joy of giving. Read the issue here. When you notice joy emanating from others, research shows there’s a good chance you’ll feel more joyful, too. So who are the initiators? The patient zeroes of joy? In our search for tangible ways joy is experienced in real life, we found joyful people who engage with The Salvation Army to make life brighter for others.
The Salvation Army and retail partners team up to make fashion more sustainable
As new regulations take hold, retailers are partnering with The Salvation Army to keep unsold clothing out of landfills. This story is part of Caring’s 2026 print edition, “Joy That Moves,” featuring lives changed through the joy of giving. Read the issue here. For decades, unsold clothing from major retailers often had nowhere to go, moving from rack to out of sight with little accountability for its final destination.
Salvation Army ice cream truck sparks joyful engagement
Innovative canteens spark joyful engagement. This story is part of Caring’s 2026 print edition, “Joy That Moves,” featuring lives changed through the joy of giving. Read the issue here. The mood shifts the moment Gresham (Oregon) Corps Officers Captains Caleb and Iliana Montes announce the ice cream truck is open at events. “It is like a magnet,” Caleb Montes said.
Women in recovery find support, strengthen families at Gabelcrest
Fresno’s Gabelcrest program provides housing, case management and a supportive community. It was Cristal Hill’s last day at Gabelcrest. She was packing up the apartment she and her 5-year-old daughter, Sofia, had called home for two years. “It’s scary and good, because I know it’s a new chapter in my life,” Hill said, taking a break from sorting her belongings. The pair were ready for their new home—one without an onsite case manager.
Joan & Sally’s offers place to belong in San Francisco’s Tenderloin
The San Francisco Kroc Center’s Adult Day Program is helping adults combat loneliness through fellowship, meals and connection. Outside The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Center in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, an A-frame sign poses a simple question to passersby: “Are you looking to make friends?” “People are having a hard time making those basic connections,” said San Francisco Kroc Center Corps Officer Captain Arwyn Rodriguera.
Homer homesteading cooking class teaches lost arts
From making cheese to stretching a budget, a new class in Homer aims to strengthen practical skills. Ina Jones was scrolling Facebook when she spotted it: a post featuring jars of chili. The sharer? An attendee of a recent class she taught on how to safely can food. “She wasn’t afraid anymore,” Jones thought to herself, recalling how at the beginning of the class, the woman—and others—were intimidated by the pressure cooker until she explained how it’s similar to having a sharp knife in the kitchen.
Salvation Army volunteers deliver meals and connection across Billings communities
Volunteers bring food into the community in Billings Each evening in Billings, Montana, two vans depart from The Salvation Army corps and head into neighborhoods across the city, delivering meals to people who might otherwise go hungry. When Salvation Army brass band music and hymns begin to play from the van at each stop, neighbors line up, knowing dinner has arrived. Within minutes, as many as 25 people per stop receive their free meals before the vans move onto the next location.
The Healing Coop: How chickens are helping women stay sober
Outside Denver, Colorado, the women’s Adult Rehabilitation Center has added a unique wrinkle to their recovery program. The Salvation Army’s rural property is filled with animals, most notably a coop of chickens. Their presence provides a host of benefits to the residents, from animal therapy to the responsibility and teamwork needed to take care of a living animal. For some, their time evokes the soothing experience of certain farming video games.
From finding treasures to fresh starts, Gillette thrift store holds it all
Gillette (Wyoming) Thrift Store powers Salvation Army services. Every morning before Bec Pelz starts a volunteer shift at The Salvation Army Thrift Store in Gillette, Wyoming, she sits and prays in her car for the encounters ahead. “We just want to love everybody and make everybody feel that they’re important,” she said.
Fall Math Manipulatives: Pumpkins, Leaves, and More
Autumn: the time of year when apples, pumpkins, and colorful leaves fill every classroom. But while these fall staples are often presented as images on worksheets, the season is also an opportunity to incorporate the real things into math activities. Nature itself provides the manipulatives and materials for young learners to develop foundational mathematical practices while exploring in an organic and meaningful way. 1. Measuring: How can you measure a pumpkin?
Fall Math Manipulatives: Pumpkins, Leaves, and More
Autumn: the time of year when apples, pumpkins, and colorful leaves fill every classroom. But while these fall staples are often presented as images on worksheets, the season is also an opportunity to incorporate the real things into math activities. Nature itself provides the manipulatives and materials for young learners to develop foundational mathematical practices while exploring in an organic and meaningful way. 1. Measuring: How can you measure a pumpkin?
5 ways to connect with God in nature
Practical suggestions for disconnecting from technology and encountering God in the natural world. Have you stepped outside lately? The natural world offers benefits, both spiritual and physical. In its beauty—if we open our hearts to it—we can sense the Creator’s presence. Jesus knew this. He would retreat to the mountains or the desert to talk to his Father. And in his final hours, he entered the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.
Volunteering on the upswing at Salvation Army locations across the West
Giving back bounces back post pandemic One sign life is returning to “normal” post-pandemic? Volunteering. Research from the U.S. Census Bureau and AmeriCorps found nearly 30 percent of the U.S. population over 16 formally volunteered through an organization from September 2022-September 2023—a figure similar to that from pre-pandemic life.
From garden to empty tomb
The General’s 2025 Easter message. From the Garden of Gethsemane to the empty tomb, Easter represents the most profound moment in human history—the fulfilment of God’s redemptive plan through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we contemplate this holy season, we witness divine love conquering death itself, offering humanity the greatest gift imaginable: eternal salvation through our risen Lord.
227 Walking With Jesus: The Resurrection with Dr. Major Terry Masango
Welcome to Walking With Jesus: A Journey to the Cross, as we arrive today at the finale in our series with Major Dr. Terry Masango. Throughout this journey, we’ve walked with Jesus as he searched for the lost sheep, showed us what it means to be a true neighbor through the Good Samaritan, and offered paradise to the thief on the cross. Today, we stand before the empty tomb—the defining moment that separates Christianity from every other faith tradition in the world.
Meet the new Mission Strategist helping shape the West's future
Jim Sparks is The Salvation Army Mission Strategist in the Western U.S. “Why is that causing this?” As the Territorial Mission Strategist for The Salvation Army Western Territory, Jim Sparks often finds himself asking that question. His curiosity serves him well in this position, a new role in the Western Territory. “I always like learning new things,” Sparks said.
225 Walking With Jesus: The Good Samaritan with Dr. Major Terry Masango
Welcome back to Walking With Jesus: A Journey to the Cross, a special series with Major Dr. Terry Masango. Last week, we explored the parable of the Lost Sheep and discovered how Jesus, our Good Shepherd, actively searches for us no matter how far we’ve strayed. Today, we turn to one of Jesus’ most profound and challenging parables: The Good Samaritan.
Confidence and creativity shine through music lessons at the Anaheim Red Shield
The Freer Forte music program offers affordable lessons that help kids develop skills and gain performance experience. The halls of The Salvation Army Anaheim Red Shield come alive with music every Wednesday evening, transforming the community center into a hub of melody and rhythm as kids gather to learn, play and share their love for music. The Freer Forte music program, named after donor Lynn Freer, launched in fall 2023.
ARC beneficiaries serve meals and strengthen purpose after California wildfires
While on the path to recovery, men from The Salvation Army Santa Monica ARC volunteered to serve meals and assist those impacted by the January wildfires in California. The aroma of fresh, hot meals filled the air at Los Angeles’ Westwood Recreation Center as nine men from The Salvation Army Santa Monica Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) stood ready to serve evacuees of the historic LA wildfires.
224 Walking With Jesus: The Lost Sheep with Dr. Major Terry Masango
Welcome to a new series—Walking With Jesus: A Journey to the Cross. Over the next four weeks, we’ll be guided by Major Dr. Terry Masango through a thoughtful exploration of Scripture and its meaning in our everyday lives. As the Training Principal at The Salvation Army College for Officer Training at Crestmont, Major Masango leads an institution dedicated to developing men and women in spiritual maturity, character, and knowledge to advance the mission of The Salvation Army.
Kroc Center's Teen Drop-In Center offers teens a safe option in a tough neighborhood
San Francisco Kroc Center meets a community need, providing space for youth to connect and build strengths. The 50-block Tenderloin neighborhood in the heart of San Francisco is known for crime and squalor. It’s also home to the city’s highest concentration of kids—an estimated 3,000, according to U.S. News & World Report. As these kids navigate the streets, they daily witness homelessness, drug use and drug dealing.
Walking with Jesus: Introducing Our Holy Week Sermon Series with Major Dr. Terry Masango
As Holy Week approaches, we’re excited to announce a special four-part podcast series that invites you to experience the journey to Easter in a profound and meaningful way. With insightful biblical teaching and compassionate perspective, College for Officer Training at Crestmont Training Principal Major Dr. Terry Masango is guiding us through key Gospel narratives that illuminate Jesus’ heart for the lost, the broken and those on the margins of society.
At HOPE Village, people find support for sustainable change
Now in its third year of operation, the tiny home community aims to help those experiencing chronic homelessness. The 50-unit HOPE Village pallet home community opened in the Highlands neighborhood of Longview, Washington, in December 2022, inhabiting land where an encampment stood for three years that, at times, was home to some 150 people. During the years of the encampment, the Highlands experienced frequent police activity, said Longview Temple Corps Officer Major Phil Smith.
West gathers, makes holiness a priority at fifth Holiness Retreat
The Western Territory’s Holiness Retreat, “Thirst,” took place March 7-9, on the Crestmont Campus in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The weekend encouraged 174 attendees—delegates and guests—from around the West to take time away from their typical routines to consider holiness—to be set apart for God. The weekend marked the fifth year of the retreat—the largest territorial event outside of Commissioning.
At The Salvation Army Harbor Light, one man discovers 'recovery could be beautiful'
The Harbor Light is part of The Way Out, The Salvation Army’s initiative to impact homelessness in San Francisco. “I didn’t think I’d ever reach the point where I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, but I did,” said Chris Solis, who at 42 had spent most of his adult life in jail before finding his way to The Salvation Army Harbor Light program in San Francisco. Solis grew up in San Jose, California, with his parents and sister.
221: Keeping the heat on with Captain Jon Tollerud
Continuing our Warm Hearts, Warm Homes series, today we’re tackling a challenge that affects countless families during these coldest weeks of the year—keeping the heat on. For many of our neighbors, the choice between staying warm and affording other essentials is a harsh reality. Did you know roughly 11 percent of Americans live in poverty, which is about 36.8 million people, according to the Census Bureau? That means, for a family of four, they are earning at or below $30,000 a year.
Mother-daughter volunteering duo provides translation at The Salvation Army
Volunteering is their love language. Cathy Ramirez’s early childhood memories include spending long days in the cramped quarters of her family’s two-bedroom mobile home across the street from the county jail. One of eight children, her family often shared the space with extended family—at times maximizing the occupancy to 20 people. Her father worked hard and was the sole provider. “I remember that we were the family that was helped,” Ramirez said.
A portrait of Christianity in Kerala, India
Over a century ago, when The Salvation Army arrived in Kerala, a state on the southwestern tip of India, they quickly became known as the only religious institution to accept and embrace those in the lowest castes in Indian society as part of their biblical mission to love and serve all peoples without discrimination. Much has changed since then, but the caste system is still prevalent, and Christians are still an impoverished minority group facing significant challenges.
Rebuilding Hope: How the Santa Monica Hope Team brings compassion and support
The Salvation Army is helping people experiencing homelessness with outreach, support and resources to rebuild their lives. As dawn breaks over Santa Monica, Salvation Army outreach workers take to the streets alongside the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) to engage with individuals experiencing homelessness. The group offers them resources, guiding them toward shelter and support services.
220: Filling a need for warm coats with Suzanne Pickering
On this show, we like to share stories of everyday people turning hope into action in small, real-life ways right where they are. As we like to say, you don’t need to do anything “big” to have a big impact. And that even, maybe especially, when your day is filled to the brim even the smallest of actions add up to make a difference. Well today, as part of our Warm Hearts, Warm Homes series, I am bringing you one of those stories.
5 thoughtful ways to observe Lent this year
Easter is right around the corner. But before celebrating Jesus’s resurrection, Christians traditionally observe 40 days of Lent, a period of fasting, prayer and giving. Throughout Scripture, the number 40 often represents periods of waiting and trial. In the days of Noah, God sent 40 days of rain to flood the earth (Gen. 7:12). After escaping Egypt, the Israelites spent 40 years wandering the wilderness before entering the Promised Land (Num. 14:26-34).
Others Award recipient 'connects the dots' for good in Las Vegas
When Majors Harold and Magaly Laubach, Divisional Secretaries for Clark County, Nevada, were asked which of the roughly 1,000 volunteers they encounter every year they would nominate for The Salvation Army Others Award, the choice was easy: Elise Noorda. “My wife and I looked at each other, and it didn’t take us 30 seconds,” Harold Laubach, Jr. said.
219: When hearts and homes need warming
We started this series earlier this year talking about home and how much home is not just where you are but is so much a part of who you are. And then, what happens when you have no home. Following the incredible destruction of the wildfires that tore through the Los Angeles region this January, I’ve shared with you many of the ways The Salvation Army showed up—as it always does when disaster strikes—to serve the whole person—physically, emotionally and spiritually.
How the Pocatello Salvation Army is bringing people in from the cold
Pocatello Outpost opens a daytime warming shelter during record cold temperatures. When Pocatello (Idaho) Mayor Brain Blad asked The Salvation Army to help the community stay warm during a record-breaking cold winter, the organization’s Pocatello Outpost got to work, opening a warming shelter the next day.
With Walmart's help, The Salvation Army reached more families in needs last Christmas
A seemingly unending array of gift bags and packages wrapped in black and white patterned paper were plucked from under a pair of Christmas trees and carried by Walmart employees to a table in front of the Sarkisian family. As the gifts piled up, the impact became overwhelming—both for the Sarkisians and those in attendance of the event held Dec.
From U.S. Army soldier to Salvation Army officer: how one man found a new purpose
After rediscovering his faith, Captain Yonathan Escobar traded his U.S. Marines uniform for a Salvation Army uniform—and got tickets to football’s biggest event Southern California Divisional Youth and Candidates Secretary Captain Yonathan Escobar helped 100 local kids enjoy a Walmart shopping spree sponsored by the Los Angeles Rams in December 2024. As a self-proclaimed Rams superfan, Escobar said he was excited for the event.
217: A practical guide to family emergency planning
In recent episodes, we’ve explored the impact of the Los Angeles wildfires. And one question I’ve heard several times in the last few weeks is: ‘What would you take if you had to leave?’ Let’s talk numbers for a moment. In 2024, there were 27 confirmed weather disaster events in the U.S. that had losses exceeding $1 billion each. From droughts, to floods, to severe storms, tropical cyclones, wildfires and more. Countless people were affected and so many had to evacuate.
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