Salvation Army in battle on two ends

The Yuba-Sutter Salvation Army is fighting a war these days with more combatants and less support on the homefront, according to officials with the nonprofit group.

Cuts in grants from local, state and federal sources have eliminated $130,000 in funds for the local Salvation Army during the current fiscal year, or a fourth of its budget, said Capt. Tom Stambaugh.

"The grants we use to operate have disappeared or gone away," Stambaugh said, in most cases due to budget woes being experienced by governments at all levels. The United Way also reduced its funding for the Salvation Army by $10,000 last year, and could reduce it by another $8,000 this year.

But the same sputtering economy hurting government budgets is also sending more people to the Salvation Army, Stambaugh said. Compared to a year ago, the local corps has served 3,249 more meals, distributed 243 more food boxes, and had 125 more free group counseling sessions serving 8,516 more people.

"We've seen a lot of increase, and it's from people who've never come to us before," he said.

The disparity between demand and resources, he said, led to his plea Friday to residents of the Yuba-Sutter to contribute what they can to his group.

So far, Stambaugh said, Salvation Army directors have cut from everywhere except services as much as possible, though those have also been affected.

Three vacant positions weren't filled, and the Salvation Army extended its waiting list to five months for families hoping to get into programs at the Depot Family Crisis Center, its Marysville-based family crisis center for drug rehabilitation and other services. Brian Bend, a Yuba City resident who's in a yearlong Depot program to kick a 14-year heroin habit, said the services he's getting have made a difference.

"I was at the end of my rope," said Bend, 42, when he went to the Depot about three months ago for help. He was concerned, he said, about losing his two young daughters if he didn't get clean.

"It's just been an awesome experience," he said. "There are lots of classes here, lots of activities to keep us busy."

Stambaugh said he knows it's tough to ask people for money when many of those who don't need help still have their own financial worries.

"I know they've stepped up before. We know not everyone can give at this time," he said. "People who can give know money raised here stays here. It goes back into the local community."

The trouble Stambaugh is facing isn't unique to the corps locally.

Stefanie Vrapi, a public relations director for the Salvation Army's division in Northern California and Nevada, said funding shortages are being felt everywhere.

"Yuba-Sutter depends on a lot of grant funding, and seeing that grant funding disappear is what's hurting them," she said.

Without an infusion of help, Stambaugh said, he fears he'll have to close his office on some days, or have fewer staff at times.

"It creates frustration on the client's end," he said. "They always expect the Salvation Army's doors to be open."

Contact Appeal reporter Ben van der Meer at 749-4709 or bva ndermeer@appealdemocrat.com