Her Belief In Our Mission

Carrie became a recurring giver in our True Heroes programme due to her faith in The Salvation Army. She’d also seen a difference in her son after he was befriended by a member of staff.

I’ve always held a positive view of The Salvation Army as a valuable grassroots organisation. It is incredibly important for people who are feeling disconnected from society to find connection with people in the community. 

I’ve always been grateful to anyone who shows kindness to my son, Joseph, who struggles with mental health issues.

It was a chance meeting that became significant in Joseph’s life. He was hanging out outside his local Salvation Army centre and one of the staff members, Tom, bought him a pie and they started chatting. They met several times and Tom became somewhat of a mentor to Joseph. He even gave him his number when he moved, and Joseph continued to text him. I kept hearing his name pop up and I think he was a great source of comfort and encouragement. 

For the next couple of years, Tom was sort of there in the background as a strong person that Joseph felt he could rely on and trust. 

‘I give to The Salvation Army because it provides that bridge back to life for people who have lost their way.’

As a parent of an adult child who struggles to fit in socially, it’s good to know The Salvation Army is there as a place for him to turn to if he needs it. Somewhere he can trust that he won’t be judged. Trust is one of Joseph's 
big words. There are a lot of people he doesn't really feel he can trust. In normal terms, they might not be judgmental people as such, but when they're interacting with Joseph, he feels judged. 

Joseph’s experience has given me insight into this other world where people feel lost, lonely and left out. I know that it is so hard to get back in again, without a safe structure around you to help ease you back into life. You can't join a normal community group, it's too much to cope with. 

‘One thing I always want people to realise is that just acknowledging somebody with a smile … is just huge.’

I give to The Salvation Army because it provides that bridge back to life for people who have lost their way. The Salvation Army is right there  
in the community. And even though it’s a Christian organisation, it doesn’t have those barriers people often feel approaching a church. It’s non-judgmental and a safe place for people to go.  

One thing I always want people to realise is that just acknowledging somebody with a smile, having a  brief chat, giving them a bit of time, or a bit of leeway when something doesn't go quite right, is just huge. People whose lives are ticking along fine don't always realise the difference they can make.

But Joseph tells me quite often about somebody who said something nice or did something nice. It really matters,  big time. If you see someone sitting on the ground outside a shop or something, acknowledge them. Don't just walk past. Sometimes that's my son.’