Salvation Army centralizes homeless services in Davenport

By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger

DAVENPORT — The Salvation Army’s new social services and housing programs building was dedicated Oct. 3 at 100 Kirkwood Blvd.

The new site offers a homeless prevention program, provides rental and utility assistance or deposit assistance to families facing homelessness, a shelter program that provides short-term shelter for families who are currently homeless, and a rapid rehousing program that works with landlords throughout the Quad-City area to move homeless families into stable housing.

“Our new location and building will be a great asset to The Salvation Army and the community as we provide these much-needed programs from a central location,” said Major Scott Shelbourn, Salvation Army Quad Cities coordinator.

Kelle Larned, the Salvation Army’s program and operations director, said the agency’s goal is homeless prevention. The agency collaborates with about 20 other agencies throughout the Quad-City area to address homelessness and hunger, she noted.

The Salvation Army moved its offices last fall from Harrison and Sixth streets in Davenport to the former Molyneaux building. Two other Salvation Army properties are located separately in Davenport and in Moline, Ill. Persons who seek help at the new location will receive an assessment and assistance to find housing.

Larned also said the new facility’s community room is used to serve meals twice a week and to offer life skills classes. Those include cooking, money management and budgeting, among other classes.

From October 2018 to October 2019, The Salvation Army Quad Cities has sheltered 578 people for a total of 12,680 nights and helped 269 households (557 individuals) avoid eviction, she said. Since July 1 of this year, the agency has found new, long-term housing for 12 adults and 14 children. “We are moving people to a sustainable future.”