Divisional Spotlight: Greater New York
by Colonel Richard Munn
Six years before the Statue of Liberty was dedicated, The Salvation Army formally commenced its work and presence in the United States as the indomitable landing party disembarked onto Battery Park in New York City, 145 years ago.
Here are the iconic images that represent the U.S. to the world — the Empire State Building, Wall Street, Broadway, Central Park, Harlem jazz, West Side Story, the notorious subway, trash, and rats. It’s a city of extremes from Yankee wealth to the Bowery, from Rockefeller Center to Hell’s Kitchen, from bagels and lox to Ray’s Pizza, and more, much more.
Symbolized by Ellis Island, the landing place for millions of immigrants, the chaotic, energetic, bustling five boroughs both entice and break hearts. True to form, The Salvation Army planted headquarters and began branching out in myriad ways, through street-front corps, outdoor evangelism, overnight shelters, and soup lines. In time these evolved into the highly sophisticated art deco 14th Street Centennial Memorial Temple, the Markle Residence for young women, DHQ, THQ, and the Training College.
How can you not love a division that, even now, hosts Territorial Headquarters, the College for Officer Training (CFOT), and Times Square Theatre 315; rings the closing bell on Wall Street; and lights up the Empire State Building during red kettle season? And let’s not forget the mighty Hudson River Valley, with its strategic corps and prosperous Rockland County, vigilantly guarded by West Point Military Academy.
At the helm of this one-of-a-kind command are Lt. Colonels Raphael and Sandra Jackson, divisional leaders. SAconnects got the scoop in a one-on-one interview, to get you, our faithful readers, the story behind the story.
What are your divisional statistics: number of corps, senior and junior soldiers, officers, employees?
- 38 corps
- 4,023 senior soldiers
- 825 junior soldiers
- 101 officers
- 617 employees
Click to view a full breakdown of the Greater New York Division
How would you describe the personality of your division?
The Salvation Army in the Greater New York Division (GNY) can best be described as vibrant. There is a notable passion for ministry and service through our corps and services. The presence of the Lord is consistently evident in worship services, and love for people is reflected in the multitude of services offered to our communities.
What is the geographic and cultural terrain of the division?
The GNY Division includes New York City, Long Island, and the lower Hudson Valley. The coverage area results in a very diverse division, both in geography and culture. This includes some ministries taking place among high-rise apartment buildings and others occurring in rolling hills. The geographic footprint represents more than 13.5 million people. The diversity of culture is reflected in the 42 nations represented among the soldiery of the division. This results in truly unique expressions of worship and service.
What especially notable expressions of ministry exist within the command?
The Greater New York Division has a significant impact by providing food for those in need. In 2024, we served more than 10 million meals through our various programs. This is our most effective front-line ministry, offering continual opportunities to interact with our communities.
The GNY Music and Creative Arts program is also a highlight and is directed by the seven employee staff members who serve at corps throughout the year, divisional rehearsals, and a varied summer music ministry program. Here discipleship relationships are pursued, participants utilize their gifts and talents in regular worship at their corps, and youth become leaders. A recent highlight was the music ministry trip to Florida.
Great success is experienced through the Pathway of Hope program. There are graduates of the program whose lives have been changed, but the most exciting aspect is the connection between the clients and the corps. Families are often supported by corps officers and corps members, and some become a part of the corps family.
Truly special is PEARL Essence, our anti–human trafficking work. We see meaningful progress as we strive to serve survivors with compassion and excellence. We provide trauma-informed case management, emergency housing, and essential resources, while also working to raise awareness and strengthen community partnerships. Our outreach efforts are growing significantly, with 500 survivor encounters recorded in 2024. Regular initiatives now take place in four locations multiple times each month. We have doubled our volunteer base to a total of 60 and trained a dozen local corps in PEARL Essence–specific approaches to working with at-risk populations.
Additionally, the division also provides several housing options for those in need. Each night, 173 families and 80 individuals are in the care of The Salvation Army. Additionally, there are six homes designed explicitly for developmentally disabled individuals, which house 61 guests.
What brings you the greatest joy?
Our greatest joy is the people of the division — our officers who serve with passion, soldiers who are the heart of each corps, and volunteers and supporters who come alongside in powerful ways. The cherry on top is that all of this ministry is taking place in what we consider a small piece of heaven, as we see embodied the Biblical vision where “people will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God” (Luke 13:29).
What is God up to in the division these days?
God is moving in powerful ways in the Greater New York Division. We celebrate that people continue to experience and testify to full salvation. There are significant financial hardships for the division and our people, but we believe this burden continues to deepen our trust in God.
Any final insights or thoughts for our readers?
We not only witness God’s continued call to fullness but also His call to ministry. The Greater New York Division celebrates eight individuals who have answered that call and are accepted into the Proclaimers of Transformation Session at the CFOT.
How can we all pray for the division?
In a division with so many people, ministries, and services, expenses become an obvious concern. We fully trust God to provide and acknowledge that this includes exercising appropriate stewardship and making informed decisions. We request prayer for wisdom and discernment for the decisions to be made to do the right things so that the GNY Division can continue “Doing the Most Good.”
Thank you, Ray and Sandy — we celebrate the catalytic work of the Kingdom in a strategic city and region for our nation. The Greater New York Division is the flagship of the territory. You can count on our commitment and support. An army is cheering you on.
