Salvation Army

Just in time for the first day of school, the Salvation Army Glendale Corps and BB&T-Knight Insurance Services combined Friday afternoon to issue 150 backpacks laden with school supplies to local students in need. "A lot of these children are from lower-income families or maybe their parents are working multiple jobs," said Julyne Sales, youth program director with the Salvation Army. "To get that extra help, just knowing that somebody cares for them, too, is awesome. " Workers at BBT's 38-person Glendale office took two hours to hand out the gear, help cook up hot dogs and supervise games at the Salvation Army community center.

GLENDALE — After living on the streets of Ventura on and off for years, Lygia Rueda De Leon and her family didn't know where to turn. "We began to feel hopeless and began to give up," she said. But on Wednesday, De Leon joined with city leaders and Salvation Army officials for the opening of the nonprofit's Chester Village affordable housing development, where De Leon now lives with her husband, three children and grandchild. She said moving into a place they could call home was a dream come true.

There's a volunteer in Glendale who likes to keep a low profile, whether walking her black poodle along Brand Boulevard collecting trash or helping with the Meals on Wheels program. Karil Drake is who the Salvation Army calls when the Meals on Wheels program needs extra help. She makes volunteering a priority and delivers hot meals to the elderly and people who can't leave their homes or cook. "They really appreciate somebody coming in," Drake said. "They're real thankful when I bring the meals in. They're happy to have someone to talk to for a minute.

MEALS ON WHEELS Meals On Wheels Drivers provide home-delivered meals for the elderly and home-bound in Glendale. Meals are picked up at The Salvation Army at 10:30 a.m. and then delivered between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Most routes only take one hour. The program runs Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Volunteers must have a valid driver?s license, insurance and use their own vehicles. For more information, call Rick White, volunteer coordinator at the Salvation Army (818)

GLENDALE — With two days left in the Salvation Army Glendale’s iconic red kettle campaign, fundraising Wednesday was down more than 30% compared with last year, officials reported. By the end of Tuesday, close to $50,000 had been raised during the local nonprofit’s fundraising campaign, which began at select locations across the city before Thanksgiving. The total was $20,000 short of the Salvation Army Glendale’s goal of $70,000, which was already less than the estimated $75,0000 raised during last year’s holiday fundraising.

Food pantries and service organizations are preparing to meet their highest demand over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, with large numbers of residents out of work and struggling to get by. Three area organizations will host holiday meals Thursday, with others offering food packages for pick up and deliveries to families in need. The Salvation Army Glendale?s annual Thanksgiving community meal will start at noon Thursday, when the organization expects to serve more than its record of 264 visitors last year, Capt.

GLENDALE — With demand for services jumping 200% in two years, Salvation Army Glendale officials said this year’s holiday fundraising season is more important than ever. The organization’s red kettles have been placed at dealerships along the Brand Boulevard of Cars and other locations in preparation for the fundraising campaign. “Our hope is this preseason will help us jump-start and have a really good kettle season,” said Capt. Rio Ray of Salvation Army Glendale.

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday paved the way for lease negotiations with the Museum of Neon Art, voting unanimously to move forward with talks on moving the Los Angeles-based nonprofit into a city-owned building on South Brand Boulevard. The vacant building at 216 S. Brand Blvd., which once housed a Salvation Army branch and a Rite Aid, would give the museum a new permanent location to showcase its large collection of vintage neon signs and contemporary neon art after using a temporary spot in downtown Los Angeles for about two years.