History

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization whose work began in London, England in 1865 when William Booth, a minister, abandoned the conventional concept of a church and a pulpit and took his message of hope to the poor, the homeless, the hungry and the destitute.  By 1867 The Salvation Army had developed into a ministry offering basic schooling, reading rooms, penny banks, soup kitchens and relief aid to the destitute.

The Salvation Army started its work in Canada in 1882 and quickly began giving hope to those in need throughout the country.  It serves over 1.85 million people each year in over 400 communities in Canada and is now the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country.  

To accommodate the changing times, The Salvation Army in Canada continues to evolve and has undertaken Mobilize 2.0 which is a transformation program that included the creation of a vision for The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory so that we know where we are heading, and the development of a strategic plan that will help our movement get there.  While the same values and aspirations still exist, our primary goal is always to advance and find innovative solutions to better address rising community needs.

The Salvation Army is an international Christian church.

Its message is based on the Bible; its ministry is motivated by love for God and the needs of humanity.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.

CORE VALUES

HOPE: We give hope through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

SERVICE: We reach out to support others without discrimination.

DIGNITY: We respect and value each other, recognizing everyone’s worth.

STEWARDSHIP: We responsibly manage the resources entrusted to us.

More about the work of The Salvation Army in Canada

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The Salvation Army has been active in the community of Nanaimo and committed to assisting those in need since the Corps was established at 19 Nicol Street in 1888. We have served the community faithfully as a not-for-profit social service provider ever since. Over the years, the Salvation Army in Nanaimo has provided shelter, a dining room, outreach, family services, a gymnasium, community programs, thrift stores, church services, youth programs, emergency response equipment, and a steadfast commitment to the vision of founder William Booth, and to the global mission of The Salvation Army—to share the love of Jesus Christ, meet human needs and be a transforming influence in the communities of our world.

1900's building

New Hope Centre

To better meet the needs of the community, a new church building was opened on the corner of Bruce and Eighth Street in April 1986 to support a range of programs, including Emergency Assistance and Family Services. The Salvation Army also operates two thrift stores in the city. In 2007, the New Hope Centre was built adjacent to the original building on Nicol Street to provide much-needed housing services and social outreach. In 2023, expansion and re-building projects began at Bruce Street and at Nicol Street to meet the growing needs of the community of Nanaimo.

The existing building at 19 Nicol Street offers accommodation in the form of 24 emergency shelter beds and 10 transitional beds. Meals are currently prepared off-site, and we are able to provide emergency food, clothing, comfort and support for recovery for alcohol and drug addiction. Through cooperative work with community partners, The Salvation Army expands its mission impact to offer hope broadly in the city. Our Community Residential Facility, also housed in the New Hope Centre, provides semi-independent rooms and support for successful community reintegration for 19 clients. Annually we provide the city’s marginalized population with 19,345 safe nights of sleep, approximately 95,000 meals, and emergency assistance to more individuals than we can count—and our doors are open 365 days a year.

We are extending our present capacity through the construction of a four-storey expansion to the building at 19 Nicol Street. When completed, the new building will provide two additional floors with emergency shelter and transitional beds, a commercial kitchen and community dining room, and program space to support case work, outreach, and a range of additional services and programs.

Our Mission

Our Vision

The Salvation Army exists to share the love of Jesus Christ,
meet human needs,
and be a transforming influence in the
communities of our world.

We are an innovative partner,
mobilized to share hope wherever there is hardship,
building communities that are just and know the love of Jesus.

Our Values

Hope

We give hope through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Service

We reach out to support others without discrimination.

Dignity

We respect and value each other, recognizing everyone’s worth.

Stewardship

We responsibly manage the resources entrusted to us