United Way’s next tour stop is an organization that has helped community members across southeast Berrien and Cass County get back on their feet. From utility, rent and disaster aid assistance, the Niles Salvation Army offers aid in a variety of forms to residents in need. For this portion of the tour, Lieutenants Joseph and Kendra Hixenbaugh, who oversee the organization’s operations and services, talked about the Niles Salvation Army’s longstanding partnership with United Way, which provides funding to a portion of their programs.

On an average Friday afternoon, volunteers at the Niles Salvation Army are busy cooking up something fresh for the Lunch Bunch crowd. On this particular day, the scents of freshly baked shepherd’s pie waft from the kitchen, while steaming mugs of hot chocolate and coffee also wait to be consumed. The Lunch Bunch offers free food and fellowship Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to residents across Berrien and Cass counties. The program is just one of one of dozens targeted at helping others. Both Joseph and Kendra agreed that without help from their partners at United Way of Southwest Michigan, their mission might not be as far reaching.

“It would be a setback,” Joseph said. “United Way helps to provide some of our funding throughout the year,  especially during the lean months when our funding sources are a little dry — I’m thinking June through October. Without them, it means less people could be helped.”

With one in five children across Berrien and Cass counties facing food insecurity, the Niles Salvation Army seeks to assure that students do not go hungry over the weekend. United Way has partnered with the organization to support the Feeding His Sheep program, which provides about 150 children across Niles, Buchanan and Brandywine school districts with backpacks filled with food for the weekend days.

Joseph said they hope to expand the program into Dowagiac next year. United Way contributions would help to make such an expansion possible, he said.

United Way financial contributions also contribute to emergency social services programming, which aids residents in need of rental, utility or other basic needs assistance.

While the funding is targeted at Feeding His Sheep and emergency services, according to officials, the nonprofit helps the Niles Salvation Army in other ways, too. 

The Niles Salvation Army also operates a food pantry, where families can visit four times per year to get groceries. During the summertime, the food pantry has often faced shortages, because people tend donate less to the cause during those months. While the donations decrease, families with children out of school oftentimes need more help.

On average, Lt. Joseph Hixenbaugh said the program provides food to approximately 48 families per week.

“It goes fast and it is a big need in our community,” Hixenbaugh said. “We do love our supporters, like United Way and other agencies and people in town that help to keep the [pantry] stocked.”

This summer, the United Way recognized this struggle and hosted the inaugural Christmas in June to raise food donations. The drive brought in about 15,000 pieces of food and the Niles Salvation Army was one of 22 charity organizations to receive help this year.

Charlotte Rogers, who serves as the director of United Way’s annual campaign, said organizers plan to host Christmas in June again, with the hope to secure double the amount of food raised this year.

Without United Way, Kendra and Joseph Hixenbaugh said it would be tough to reach as many families as they do.

“That reason right there is why United Way wants to continue raising more money,” Rogers said. “Because the only way we can help these programs grow is with dollars. That’s why we try to reach our goal every year, so we can provide funding to these great programs.”

While the United Way contributes to the organization’s programs, funds for the operational budget and other program funding is raised through the Annual Red Kettle Campaign. This year, a shortage of volunteers has contributed to a struggle to meet their goal. The Niles Salvation Army announced that they had only met about 32 percent of their goal as of Wednesday and are in desperate need of volunteer and contributions in the remaining three days of the campaign. 

To help:

Donate to United Way: uwsm.org

To volunteer with the Niles Salvation Army, contact Tim Douglas, the coordinator of volunteer services at (269) 684-2660.