A Beacon of Warmth Against the Cold
by Robert Mitchell
“For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him.” —2 Chronicles 30:9
Parts of the U.S. have seen unrelenting cold this winter, but The Salvation Army in Beacon, N.Y., is providing a line of help to many.
The corps has provided hand-knit hats, scarves, and gloves to the needy by hanging them on a clothesline across the front door of the church, which faces Main Street in this artsy community in the Mid-Hudson Valley. Martin Luther would be proud.
“Sometimes people don’t even realize we have these items, so putting them outside facing Main Street affords people the opportunity to just walk up and grab one,” says Captain Jessenya Alicea, the commanding officer at the Beacon Citadel Corps.
“The temperatures have been so low and I know for me, a person who has a coat and gloves and a hat, I’m cold. So, I can only imagine what people are going through who don’t have those things.”
Take what you need
Alicea said some folks are shy about asking for help. Simply hanging the winter wear outside helps recipients maintain their dignity and feel more comfortable taking something. The idea to hang them on a clothesline outside came from Rhode Northrup, the senior director at the corps.
By mid-February, about 50 articles of clothing had been displayed in front of the church and disappeared. Each one has included a small tag from The Salvation Army and the words of 2 Chronicles 30:9.
“It’s nice to see them being used,” Alicea said. “It’s been so cold some people have come back and doubled up.”
The hats, scarves, and gloves were all knitted by kind-hearted people in the community who also helped The Salvation Army at Christmastime.
“They donate to us because they know we will put them to good use,” Alicea said.
Something for everyone
The corps in Beacon is a light to the community year-round with a choice food pantry and a senior program that allows shut-ins to socialize and “get fed physically and spiritually,” Alicea said. The community can also partake of women’s ministry, Sunday school, and a Bible study.
Meanwhile, the corps gym is used for pickleball, indoor soccer, basketball, and track.
Alicea, who has been in Beacon for almost two years, has witnessed a “strong sense of community” among the 15,000 residents.
“The people really rally around and help everyone else in need,” she said. “It’s a blessing to know that people’s hearts are in the right place. We’re trying to further God’s Kingdom and just show the love He has for people in little ways that mean big things.”
For more information on the Beacon, N.Y., Citadel Corps, visit: facebook.com/TheSalvationArmyBeaconCitadel
