NILES CHARTER TOWNSHIP — The Salvation Army of Niles is now able to better serve neighbors in need in Southeast Berrien and Cass Counties.

Local officials and community members gathered Thursday for the ribbon cutting and dedication of the new Salvation Army Ed French Corps Community Center, located at 1707 Miller Dr. in Niles Charter Township. 

The new building includes a commercial kitchen to use for their hot lunch program, a client-choice food pantry, a dining room for meals with fellowship and flexible spaces that foster education and can host multiple community venues, a community vegetable garden, warehouse storage for large donations, administration and social services offices and a chapel for prayer and worship.

For decades, services had been provided out of their previous building, a former church located at 424 N 15th St., Niles. Due to its age and condition however, the building became obsolete. 

When new Corps Officers Majors Nic and Jodi Montgomery were appointed to the Niles Corps several years ago, they knew something had to be done, so they began working to reinvigorate a previous fundraising campaign. Thanks to several anonymous donors and foundations, they were finally able to reach their financial goal of $3.8 million in late 2023.

After months of working with the architects at Abonmarche, DJ Construction went to work on the project. 

The ceremony featured remarks from Salvation Army in Niles Corps Officers Majors Nic & Jodi Montgomery, Arvin Delacruz from Abonmarche, Matt Schrock with DJ Construction and Kim French as well as musical numbers from the Salvation Army Band.

“The thing I love about building dedications is that they’re not about the building,” Jodi said. “They’re about the places and spaces that are created for people to come and gather, worship, pray, laugh, cry, give, receive, to find hope and healing and most of all to be loved. That’s what we want this place to be.”