War Cry - February, 2016 Page 21

The War Cry | FEBRUARY 2016

Mercy, prison ministries, telephone outreach, Veterans
Affairs Voluntary Services (VAVS) and working with
youth. Recent examples of ministry (provided by USA
Eastern Territory website) include:

CCM workers regularly visited a woman

hospitalized after suffering a stroke.

When she

was discharged, she had no insurance or transporta-
tion. She needed to apply for Medicaid and visit the
doctor. A CCM worker took her to the Medicaid office
and drives her to the doctor.

One woman was facing 18 years in prison for

manslaughter.

She wrote to Salvation Army person-

nel through a caseworker to request a pastoral visit
during this dark time. The Salvation Army officers
in the nearby corps have visited her ever since.

General William Booth once said,

"The Salvation

Army is a place of hope... [that] shines steadily and clearly
out in the darkened sky." Chattanooga, TN Flowers of Hope
Ministry is a practical example of such a shining light.
Volunteers help alleviate loneliness, hopelessness and
discouragement by bringing fl owers and encourage-
ment to individuals in nursing homes, senior facilities and
shelters and anywhere Community Care Ministries reach.
Local Food City Stores donate fl owers that volunteers use
to create beautiful arrangements which they deliver along
with handwritten notes.

CCM workers delivered thank you cards to

veterans at the Louis B. Stokes Veterans Hospital
in Cleveland.

The volunteers walked into each veter-

an's room, introduced themselves and greeted them by
saying, "These cards were made to say thank you for
your service to our country." In addition, the workers
gave out lap robes, toiletries, puzzles and cards. One
man replied, "Thank you for thanking us!"

FOR MORE INFORMATION

about Community Care Ministries,

contact CCM secretaries in one of the four U.S. territories:

USA CENTRAL:

5550 Prairie Stone Parkway
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192
847/294-2000
usc.salvationarmy.org

USA EASTERN:

P.O. Box C-635
West Nyack, NY 10094
845/620-7200
salvationarmy-usaeast.org

USA SOUTHERN:

1424 Northeast Expressway, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30329
404/728-1300
salvationarmysouth.org

USA WESTERN:

P.O. Box 22646
Long Beach, CA 90802-5646
562/436-7000
salvationarmy.usawest.org

Sofi e is a Labradoodle who loves being

around people.

She has become the therapy dog for

the Army's Northeast Ohio Division. Sophie was
trained for two years with the help of Therapy Dogs
International and recently received her certification.
She visits nursing homes with CCM workers and
brings a smile to just about everyone.

The secret to the growing success of CCM is its

ability to adapt to the changing needs of communities
and offer support in practical and meaningful ways. It
is designed to motivate, mobilize and train Salvation
Army soldiers, adherents and other volunteers to
effectively carry out Christ's commission to care for
those in need. Most of all, CCM provides the hope
found only in Jesus Christ.

Training modules are now available to encourage

CCM volunteers of all ages to engage in loving acts of
service that will transform lives, corps and communi-
ties. CCM accomplishes this through educational
institutes, motivational dialogue, the provision of
effective resources and personal example. CCM "truly
reflects God's love and shines God's light into the dark
places and times of life," says Evelyn Munro, a CCM
worker at the Atlanta Temple Corps in Georgia. "Doing
this allows us to commit ourselves to care for our
families, neighbors, friends and complete strangers."

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