The Chatham-Kent arm of the Salvation Army celebrated the opening of its new home at 19 Raleigh Street today with a ribbon cutting and barbecue.
The new building replaces the former Harvey Street site, and Capt. Stephanie Watkinson said there is no comparison.
“It is so much brighter and double the size,” she said. “It’s not just a food bank, but a family centre.”
Watkinson said the Raleigh Street building offers expanded services to better meet the growing needs of clients.
The added space allows for programs such as cooking and computer classes, computer access, budget and financial literacy training, and services for the homeless.
“A lot of clients will benefit from this,” Watkinson said.
Maj. Morris Vincent, a divisional leader for the Salvation Army, is impressed with the site.
“The very essence of what we do is in this building,” he said. “We seek to reach out to those in need in our community. As I walk through here, I get a sense of people being served with great dignity.”
Vincent said it’s easy to see the local ministry team put a lot of work into the project.
Watkinson said the move was two and a half years in the making, as the Salvation Army “stumbled” onto the building and then had to work out design plans and costing before proceeding.
