Salvation Army helping unemployed

The Salvation Army of Genesee County, 211 W. Kearsley St., is offering help for families struggling to put food on the table or getting their medical prescriptions filled due to a recent job loss.

Bill Goodwill, Genesee County Salvation Army business manager, said, “We are providing gift cards to Kroger and Wal-Mart to assist local families with food and medicine.”

Families or individuals who want to apply for help should call the Army’s Social Services Department at 232-2196 after 9 a.m. Mondays through Fridays, to make an application appointment. Only those who have lost their jobs between Oct. 1 and the present are eligible for assistance.

Applicants must provide documentation, including proof of unemployment, Social Security numbers for family members and a photo identification.

Funds for assistance were provided in part by the Salvation Army’s territorial headquarters in Chicago as part of the Faith Stimulus Grant of $18,000. Another $9,000 came from local chapters and corporate donations.

Goodwill said that Genesee County’s 14.8 percent unemployment rate, one of the highest in the nation, is the reason for the grant.

Just four days into the program, Goodwill said, “The response so far has been phenomenal. We have about 40 families scheduled for appointments. We’re hoping to serve about 250 families by the end of September or until the funds are exhausted.”