Those Who Serve
Short profiles of the Jefferson County neighbors who answer the call in public safety, social work, and community care.
Larry Hostetler says The Salvation Army is More Than Red Kettles
Most people recognize The Salvation Army at Christmas. But in Jefferson County, its work continues long after the bells stop ringing.
For many people, The Salvation Army brings one image to mind: a red kettle outside a store during the Christmas season.
But according to Larry Hostetler of The Salvation Army in Arnold, that is only one small piece of a much larger mission.
“The mission is to meet human need in Jesus’ name without discrimination,” Hostetler said. “And that means whatever is needed locally.”
That broad mission is part of what makes The Salvation Army difficult to summarize. It is not only a Christmas charity. It is not only a food pantry. It is not only a thrift store. In Jefferson County, it often serves as what Hostetler calls “the safety net to the safety net.”
Because kettle donations are unrestricted, The Salvation Army can respond to needs that may not fit neatly into a government program or grant category. That could mean helping with rent, utilities, food, clothing, referrals, or even a situation as specific as helping someone keep a vehicle legal so they can continue getting to work.
“If it’s a human need, and we have the resources, we can meet it.”
In Jefferson County, the Arnold location helps families and individuals facing difficult seasons in many different ways. Hostetler said they provide thousands, and in some years tens of thousands, of dollars in utility and rent assistance. As rent and utility costs have risen, the need has grown with them.
The Arnold location also operates a weekly food pantry. Hostetler said the pantry recently served more than 30 households in a single day. Unlike some food distributions, the Salvation Army pantry does not simply hand out a pre-packed box. Volunteers walk people through the pantry so they can choose food that works for their household, their needs, and even their dietary restrictions.
That personal approach matters.
It also helps stretch the pantry’s resources farther because families are taking what they can actually use.
The Salvation Army also helps connect people with other local resources. Hostetler pointed to partnerships with groups like The James II Project, St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, Compass, Chestnut Health Systems, and others. Sometimes The Salvation Army can help directly. Other times, it helps document the need, make a referral, or work alongside another organization so a family does not fall through the cracks.
That referral work has become increasingly important. Hostetler said years ago, 300 calls in a month would have seemed like a huge number. More recently, they have been seeing closer to 500 calls a month or more.
“That’s the extent of need,” he said.
The Salvation Army’s year-round work also includes emergency disaster services. Jefferson County has a Salvation Army canteen that can be deployed during a tornado, flood, major fire, or other disaster. In those moments, the organization can serve first responders as well as residents affected by the emergency.
That work is not always visible until something goes wrong. But when disaster strikes, the infrastructure is already there.
Another piece many people may not realize is the connection between the thrift store and recovery services. The Salvation Army thrift store in Arnold supports the Adult Rehabilitation Center, a free six-month residential substance abuse recovery program. Hostetler said those in the program are called “beneficiaries” because the program is provided at no cost to them.
The local Salvation Army also provides thrift-store vouchers for people who cannot afford needed items.
So when someone donates goods to the thrift store, shops there, puts money in a kettle, volunteers, or gives financially, those resources become part of a larger system of help.
The need changes from week to week. One week it may be food. Another week it may be utility assistance. Another day, someone may simply need water, a shirt, or someone willing to listen.
That is why Hostetler says flexible support is so important. A can of food may help. A hygiene drive may help. A volunteer hour may help. But financial support allows The Salvation Army to respond to the need that is directly in front of them.
“We’re here to meet those needs,” Hostetler said. “You can’t put that in writing because it’s out of date as soon as you do.”
For Jefferson County, that means The Salvation Army is far more than a red kettle at Christmas.
It is a pantry, a referral network, a disaster response team, a recovery connection, a place of prayer, a community partner, and a resource for neighbors who may be one unexpected bill, one lost job, or one difficult season away from needing help.
The bells may be the most familiar sound.
But the work continues all year.
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