Staffing problems have forced the Salvation Army to cut back its services in St. Albert.
The charity is without the two pastors ordinarily attached to the agency and has a vacancy in its family services co-ordinator position, leaving only one person in the office.
Jenny Kwak, the Army’s remaining St. Albert employee, said the shortage has left her referring families in need of aid to the agency’s Edmonton headquarters or the St. Albert Food Bank.
“As family services go we are recommending people phone the food bank until we have a family services co-ordinator.”
The Salvation Army Thrift Store is still operating, but Kwak said food hampers and other services the group typically provides are not being offered.
The food bank offers many of the same services and has similar eligibility guidelines, she said.
“If the food bank can’t help them, chances are we couldn’t help them either.”
The two pastors who left the local Salvation Army did so at an inopportune time because the agency tries to relocate pastors around the same time each year.
Kwak said it could be some time before new pastors are found.
“It is really difficult to get someone in because everyone has already done their postings and moved on.”
Suzan Krecsy, executive director of the St. Albert Food Bank, said the Salvation Army’s problems have certainly been noticed.
“We miss any partner that isn’t there anymore because every partner comes with their own strengths and we feel a bit of a gap when they are not there.”
The food bank has an average caseload of about 200 families per month, which is up considerably from an average of around 130 a year ago, she said. Krecsy isn’t sure how much, if any, of that rise can be contributed to Salvation Army’s clients.
Krecsy said the food bank’s new community kitchen was designed to help satisfy a greater need in the community and they can handle this challenge.
“With the community village we are able to take that extra role. That is sort of why we brought it in,” she said. “Are we stretched? No, we’re busy.”
The Salvation Army is a great agency Krecsy added, and the food bank is still looking forward to its return.
“They are a good strong partner when they are up and running and we certainly miss them and are looking forward to seeing them back.”
