The Western Division of the Central Territory includes: Iowa; Nebraska and South Dakota. The Western Divisional Headquarters is located in Omaha, NE.
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JCPENNY AND THE SALVATION ARMY LAUNCH LARGEST
ON-LINE ANGEL GIVING TREE PROGRAM IN OMAHA AND NATIONWIDE
www.jcp.com/angel Launches to Help
Children and Seniors in Need This Christmas
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP) and The Salvation Army are joining forces this Christmas season to give joy to even more people in need through a grand-scale online Angel Giving Tree program. From now until December 14, for the first-time ever, customers can adopt and shop online for Angels at www.jcp.com/angel, providing tens of thousands of children and seniors facing hardship in communities across the country with Christmas gifts.
"In a year when so many need help, the new online Angel Giving Tree program will extend our reach and make it easier for our customers and Associates to give back this holiday season," said Mike Boylson, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for JCPenney. "By leveraging the strength of jcp.com, we are helping to modernize an American tradition - the Angel Tree program - and creating an innovative way to help families in need in our communities across the nation. Launching this program with The Salvation Army allows us to elevate our support for a cause that is extremely important to our customers and Associates, underscoring our focus on the ‘Joy of Giving' this holiday season."
The new online Angel Giving Tree program builds on the legacy of The Salvation Army's Angel Tree program that has been in operation for more than 40 years. Last year in Omaha, almost 8,000 toys were received through the Angel Tree program.
Major Paul D. Smith, Western Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army states, "We are excited about this new online Angel Giving Tree program. This will allow us to build upon our Christmas tradition by reaching a new online audience. Each year in Omaha, we help more than 120,000 people. The partnership with JCPenneuy will help us reach more people who want to adopt more angels in our community."
Created in collaboration with JCPenney partners Razorfish, Akamai Technologies, Sapient and Tata, the online Angel Giving Tree program allows customers to adopt an Angel at jcp.com/angel and conveniently shop for them online at jcp.com, in JCPenney stores or at any location they choose. In a few easy steps, customers can visit the site to request an Angel by location, age range and gender. An Angel who matches the criteria will be e-mailed to the customer along with a list of needed items. The confirmation e-mail will also include a link to view drop-off locations in the customer's area and ship-to addresses for online orders.
In collaboration with FedEx Ground, Angel Giving Tree gifts purchased through jcp.com can be shipped free of charge to any one of the 1,200 Salvation Army collection centers nationwide - putting the entire selection, shopping and delivery process at the customer's fingertips.
Supporting the online Angel Giving Tree program will be a multimedia marketing campaign including in-store, print, online and e-mail advertising as well as social media initiatives through Facebook Connect. JCPenney Facebook fans will be able to access the Angel Giving Tree website directly as well as post and share their Angel adoption with their friends.
The online Angel Giving Tree program builds on JCPenney's legacy of operating in an ethical and socially responsible manner. In 2007, the Company launched its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative - C.A.R.E.S. - stemming from the vision that JCPenney cares for its Community, Associates, Responsible Sourcing, Environment and Sustainable Products. The Company's commitment to social responsibility reflects its philosophy that "Every Day Matters" - for its customers, Associates, communities, investors and suppliers. Additional information on JCPenney's CSR initiatives can be found at http://www.jcpenney.net/about/social_resp/default.aspx
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American Red Cross Transitions Food Pantry to Salvation Army
[Omaha, Neb., ]- After nearly 20 years of hosting a local food pantry in the Omaha metropolitan area, the Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross transitioned the operation of its program to The Salvation Army, as of June 1, 2009. The change comes after a joint strategic planning session conducted by the two agencies and community leaders in September 2008 that envisioned stronger collaboration in meeting community needs.
The Salvation Army is known for providing a broad array of social services and taking over the Red Cross food pantry fits its mission of "doing the most good" for the most people. The Heartland Chapter of the Red Cross plans to now focus on its mission of providing disaster services-helping people prevent, prepare and respond to emergencies. Both agencies will continue their separate disaster services missions. The Salvation Army primarily ministers to first responders in coordination with the American Red Cross and other relief agencies.
"The Salvation Army has long been associated with helping people with basic, daily needs, including food" said Rochelle Mullen, chair of the Heartland Chapter board of directors. "Like the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army is a long-standing national organization effectively meeting local needs every day, and we are pleased that former Red Cross Food Pantry clients will be welcomed by this fine organization in the future," she added.
Mike Cassling, chair of The Salvation Army board, commended the American Red Cross and Salvation Army staff and volunteers for their willingness to continue to partner together in meeting community needs. "Collaboration and cooperation have been key to the successful relationship between our two organizations during periods of disaster response. This is one more way to be efficient and effective together," he said.
Both agencies receive United Way funding and are reliant upon donations from the general public, as well, to meet community needs.
The Salvation Army Pantry, 3612 Cuming Street, operates Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:oo a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 3:30p.m. Families in need of food may also call 402-898-5860 for further information about pantry guidelines.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization - not a government agency - and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org
About The Salvation Army:
Approximately 170,000 people were helped last year at six local Salvation Army corps and camp locations with the help of dedicated volunteers. Among the 23 programs offered by The Salvation Army year-round are Emergency Disaster Services for first responders and survivors of emergency disasters, providing food, water, clothing and spiritual counseling --- along with homeless prevention and programs for children and seniors. As one supporter said: "Name a problem and The Salvation Army has a program for it." For more information, go to www.givesalvationarmy.org
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SALVATION ARMY OFFERS HOPE IN TIMES OF STRESS
With today's economy, just making it through the day can be tough. That's why The Salvation Army provides an array of mental health programs and services. Last year, The Salvation Army helped more than 540 people in the Omaha area manage their mental health challenges.
The Salvation Army Transitional Residential Program (TRP), focuses on assisting individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The program offers workshops in self empowerment, stabilization and transition into community based services. The Salvation Army also offers an Emergency Community Support Program (ECSP), a 90-day program designed to help individuals control their behavioral health issues with advocacy, crisis management and service coordination.
Another Salvation Army service, known as the Peer Support Program, allows individuals facing mental health problems to talk with someone who has been in their shoes. Tom Rundall, a peer specialist for The Salvation Army, was once a participant in ECSP and TRP. He said that the Peer Support Program can make recovery from mental illness a reality.
"Having lived through similar experiences as the people I'm serving, we are able to relate to each other in ways that other service providers are not," Rundall said. "The changes that have taken place in my life serve as evidence of what can be accomplished when hope, support and encouragement are provided."
For more information on The Salvation Army programs and services, visit www.givesalvationarmy.org.
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The Salvation Army Lied Renaissance Center
Omaha, Nebraska
The Salvation Army in Omaha, Nebraska has an established history of providing high quality comprehensive care to people needing assistance in the Omaha area. Currently, The Salvation Army operates a multi-service campus located at 3612 Cuming Street, providing a variety of services to individuals and families across all life stages and circumstances. This facility is unique in the nation in terms of the variety of diverse programming offered on-site: including child and youth care; material assistance; case management and community support; behavioral health services; transitional housing programs; socio-educational and support groups; jail outreach, senior services and spiritual care if requested. The Lied Renaissance Center campus is a micro-comunity with more than 200 people living on the campus on any given day. Such an array of residential care and services provide unparalled access within a holistic, integrated, and caring community environment. Below are some of the faces that have travelled through one of our programs.
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