Major Rio Ray of the Salvation Army!
The speaker for our meeting on December 10, 2020, was Major Rio Ray of the Salvation Army. Major Ray is currently responsible for a variety of Salvation Army projects in Santa Rosa, including Double Punches (kids’ boxing), Tutoring and Mentoring, Transitional Living, Senior Services, and the Family Services Office. He gave us a wonderful overview of these programs and other services provided by the Salvation Army in Santa Rosa.
Some personal information: Major Rey was raised by hippies in a one-room cabin in the Santa Cruz Mountains with no electricity and no running water! He had both good and bad times but eventually ended up in college, where he met his wife and went from hard working hippie to cleaned up groom! And, according to him, he was “adorable” as a child and always a nerd! After college he took a “temporary” job as youth director for the Salvation Army. His wife ultimately convinced him that he should join the “Army” full time. He has been stationed at such diverse locations as Portland, Colorado, Glendale, Anchorage, and now Santa Rosa.
Rio is especially proud of the Salvation Army’s Double Punches program for youth. While not the most peaceful of sports, the program has dedicated students, some of whom might be tempted to become involved in gang activities if not for the program. They have not had any Olympian boxes, but they have had some Silver Sluggers and, more importantly, many high school and college graduates and professionals have come out of the program. The Tutoring and Mentoring program also focuses on at-risk and struggling youth. They have a back-to-school shopping program that typically involves 150 kids per year. They also bought 9,000 Christmas toys 9k last year!
The Family Services & Transitional Living programs include the purchase of fresh and nutritious foods, bus passes, the Thrift Store, and transitional living for those who have completed the recovery program. The recovery program usually lasts between one and six months. The “safe and sober” living program of two years, which drastically increases the chances for long term drug and/or alcohol recovery.
The Army’s Senior Services program in Santa Rosa includes 186 units of low-income senior housing and an adjacent Senior Center with crafts, filed trips, games a computer lab, holiday parties, and workshops. The Emergency Disaster Services program has provided thousands of meals for local disasters, including the Tubbs (83,000 meals), Kincade, and Walbridge Fires, Guerneville Floods, and PG&E power outages.
The Salvation Army’s responses to the Covid-19 pandemic have included a much greater emphasis on food delivery, some unfortunate limitations and changes to transitional living programs, and an increase in “Red Kettle” drop off giving to replace the reduced bell ringing problem.
Thank you so much, Rio, for sharing the Salvation Army’s programs and goals with us. We appreciate everything you do for this community and know that you and the Army will persevere in these very trying times.
