Salvation Army searches for new Montgomery location amid pushback

As the Salvation Army continues to search for a new location in Montgomery, officials say they have faced pushback from neighbors who do not want a homeless shelter in their area. Meanwhile, there’s a new model in place.

The Salvation Army is no longer offering a soup kitchen and emergency homeless shelter, Salvation Army Capt. Thomas Johnson said. Under the new model, the organization will offer temporary housing to people for three to six months in an effort to help them find jobs and long-term housing.

“With the new model that’s in place, it’s not going to be a handout,” Johnson said. “… It’s you pulling yourself up.”

The program will also offer life skills and job training, he said.

“If you don’t want to work the program, then this won’t be the program for you,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he is unsure how many people the Salvation Army will serve at one time. It will depend on the size of the building.

More: Previous Coverage Salvation Army preps for move

“It is of an urgency that we find a central location that’s best for our clients… so we can better serve our neighbors in need,” Johnson said.

The Salvation Army has been looking for space for more than a year and a half. The organization moved locations to free up space for Montgomery Whitewater, which opened last July.

Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser’s public safety reporter. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @gladlyalex.