The French
Salvation Army Congregation
The Salvation Army, an Evangelistic movement, became a Congregation
in 1994. This came about because of the professionalism of
the Army's social establishments and the constraints of the
French laws concerning the separation of Church and
State, which made a restructuring of the movement obligatory,
with a separation of the spiritual and the temporal.
Today, the Congregation of the Salvation Army has the same
values as its secular branch, the Salvation Army Foundation.
Nonetheless the Congregation has not renounced its social
vocation, but undertakes social action in its own locality,
thus renewing the missionary spirit of the movement's pioneers.
" With God, with Others, with Oneself"
: the Congregation's creed reaffirms the Salvationists' desire
to stay faithful to the teachings of the Bible as they commit
themselves to serve God and to respect others, whatever the
other person's history or beliefs may be.
In France, the Congregation has :
- 25 evangelistic corps;
- a chaplain in each of the Salvation Army Foundation's establishments.
It participates in a chaplaincy service in the prisons where
the French Protestants Federation works and it also has a
chaplain who visits the hospitals of Paris and those nearby. |
| The French Salvation Army
Foundation
Created in 2000 as the social arm of the
French Salvation Army, the Foundation works in three directions
: "To help, to accompany, to rebuild"
To help
Persons in difficulty, persons who are lonely,
desperate, often victims of physical or moral violence etc.,
situations of exclusion and distress are numerous today.
More than ever these men, women and families
need the offer of a helping hand It is this simple, yet essential,
gesture which is carried out daily by the Salvation Army.
In its emergency shelters, the Salvation
Army unconditionally receives each person seeking a bed for
the night. This includes a hot meal on arrival and breakfast
the next morning, before leaving the centre.
Persons excluded from society may also benefit
from temporary accommodation in a Salvation Army establishment.
Medical care is always available.
For these people, each Salvation Army establishment
is a meeting point, a community, offering a respite from discouragement
and despondency.
Each year, the French Salvation Army Foundation
:
- serves 110 000 street meals, with volunteer
help,
- accommodates 160 000 persons in difficulty
in its emergency shelters,
- receives 74 000 persons in its day centers,
- cares for 50 patients in its convalescent
home,
- helps 40 missing persons to find their
family and loved ones through its Family Tracing Service
To accompany
Emergency assistance is no longer adequate.
In order to help each person recover his dignity, the Salvation
Army Foundation assists the more fragile populations on a
medium and long-term basis with a view to social insertion,
extending beyond their immediate needs.
For this purpose, the Salvation Army manages
specialized structures. Some are reserved for young people
(care for young delinquents, etc.) Others offer medical care,
or a special service for alcoholics. The Foundation also helps
isolated single mothers to give birth to their child in correct
conditions, including an indispensable psychological follow-up.
Establishments for senior citizens or ageing
handicapped people provide an environment adapted to the different
needs.
Each year, Salvation Army Foundation :
- welcomes 3 300 persons in its social
homes,
- cares for 400 children or teenagers,
- accomodates 85 elderly and 40 elderly
handicapped persons in its retirement homes,,
- welcomes 37 isolated women and their babies
in a maternity home,
- helps 72 handicapped people.
To rebuild
Our ultimate ambition is to promote the reinsertion
of persons on the fringe of society, in order to assist them
in their personal "reconstruction".
The Salvation Army Foundation posesses specially
adapted hostels, which are available for those who manifest
the desire to progress towards complete autonomy. Here, the
residents have access to psychological assistance, educational
help, or they may take part in workshops aimed at preparing
them for future employment. Since the establishment of these
hostels, many people have been able to change direction in
their lives by taking their future in hand, no longer simply
accepting their fate but instead, working towards social reintegration.
Each year, accompanied by teams of doctors,
psychologists, social assistants, specialized educators and
other motivated employees, the Foundation :
- holds workshops aimed at "the remobilization
and establishment of an identity" (hygiene, employment,
health…) for several thousand adults.
- operates a therapeutic and educational
farm for mentally handicapped persons.
- permits several hundred young people
to benefit from certain educational programs (personal hygiene,
behavior in society, etc…), general educational assistance,
professional training, holiday centers…
Please,
contact us |
