The Salvation Army is Top Contender to Re-open Center

OFFICIALS LAUNCH DISCUSSION ON OPERATIONS AGREEMENT

The Suisun City Council has identified The Salvation Army as its top pick for further discussions regarding taking over the community center shuttered by the North Bay YMCA. This step allows both parties to focus on bringing back youth and family programs that are vital to supporting and strengthening the Suisun City community.

The City Council Ad Hoc Committee and Citizens’ Advisory Committee assigned to review proposals from seven organizations wanting to re-open the facility, unanimously selected The Salvation Army as the top choice based upon its commitment to families, communities and the high level of service evident in more than 360 recreation centers it operates across the nation.

In making this determination, the top priorities of the City Council Ad Hoc and Citizens’ Advisory committees were to ensure:

• Commitment to a safe place for children when schools are closed;
• Commitment to partner with other community groups for facility usage;
• Maximum access to programs regardless of ability to pay;
• Pool operations;
• Basketball court usage; and
• Fitness center, including machines and free weights.

Representatives of the City and The Salvation Army have begun discussions on a financial arrangement to take on operations of this facility that meets the fiscal and service needs of both parties. Program and facility assessments are also underway. Timelines for reopening the facility are expected to become clearer after the first of the year.

After a rigorous series of interviews and site visits, The Salvation Army rose to the top of the list because of the quality of its operations, its desire to provide services not otherwise available in the community, and its commitment to becoming part of the community. Specifically, the committees were impressed with The Salvation Army’s commitment to provide a safe and fun environment for children, its flexibility in programming and membership rates, its wide base of financial support, and its worldwide reputation for enduring high-quality programs. The Salvation Army prides itself on providing support services to families to ensure their success economically and as a basic building block of society.

“The Salvation Army is much more than ‘bell ringers’ during the Christmas holidays and service providers to the homeless and other people in crisis,” said City Manager Suzanne Bragdon.

“Their services are far-reaching and include the operation of more than 360 community recreation facilities similar to what is being proposed in Suisun City. They will be a welcome addition to our community.”

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a faith-based Christian organization that has actively supported those in need without discrimination in the United States for 128 years. Nearly 29 million American receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a broad array of social services ranging from providing food for the hungry to relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter for the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 82 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide.

For more information about The Salvation Army, visit www.salvationarmyusa.org.