SPOKANE, Wash., – The Salvation Army offers a year round program to provide those in need with food and water, as well as a free ride to their Trent Resources and Assistance Center (TRAC).
The Street Level Program offers 24/7 year-round food and water service to those in need. During the summer months, they continue to provide these services and offer free rides to the TRAC. David Slinkard has worked for The Salvation Army for over 30 years and knows that many people are unaware of the available help.
“A lot of people don’t even know we exist, and sometimes it takes a few times of talking to people to get them to realize that we’re here to help them. To get them where they can be safe,” Slinkard said.
The TRAC has a capacity of 250 beds that can be used to serve people on a daily basis, but when the temperatures reach above 95 degrees, it can enter a surge mode, in which 350 people are permitted to enter the facility each day.
Captain David Cain with The Salvation Army said this Street Level Van program is in its and has already seen tremendous results.
“We normally have a capacity of 250, and 90 percent of those people are arriving by vans,” Cain said.
People can also ride the city buses free of charge to cooling centers such as the TRAC, and Cain said this heat wave offers a unique opportunity for them to have more meaningful conversations with people seeking relief.
“When the weather gets extreme, not only are people willing to seek out creative solutions other than camping, so we’ve been able to clear out a lot of camps in downtown Spokane, which has made it safer for everybody,” Cain said.
Those needing assistance can call the Salvation Army hotline at (509)-280-6860 and be taken to a shelter at any time, free of charge.
