The Salvation Army forms partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi

The Salvation Army in Jackson, Mississippi, has formed a partnering agreement with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi.

The partnership in Jackson is not a Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, which means the responsibility for meeting membership requirements will rest with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi rather than The Salvation Army.

The Army is providing character-building, spiritual and performing arts programs, as well as food for the kids. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi is providing staff leadership to implement national Boys & Girls Club programs to include STEAM programs.

The benefit to The Salvation Army is the savings brought on by the partnership by utilizing Boys & Girls Club staff members to program on a daily basis. Salvation Army staff are still on hand and are working with Boys & Girls Clubs. However, this partnership allows more youths to be served as there is now more staff.

In addition, many of the youth-related outcomes generated by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America via their National Youth Outcomes Initiative will benefit The Salvation Army as both groups seek funding together to sustain the program.

"In an age of increasing needs, where needs seem to be growing faster than resources, non-profits have to be innovative in their service delivery models and able to build relationships within the community with those who can help their mission," said Mark Jeffrey, territorial Boys & Girls Clubs program director. "In this case, The Salvation Army in Jackson has done just that."

The Salvation Army first partnered on the local level in 1906 in New Jersey with Boys & Girls Clubs. In 1960 The Salvation Army partnered on a national level with Boys & Girls Clubs to operate Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs.

For more information on Salvation Army community partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs of America, contact Mark Jeffrey at Mark.Jeffrey@uss.salvationarmy.org.