Tuesday marked the first day of a new month, which is often when things like rent and utility bills are due, but the Salvation Army is among the nonprofits trying to lend a hand in the Kansas City area, especially for those rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic.
PANDEMIC BEGAN.SO WE SET OUT TO FINDRESOURCES YOU CAN USETO KEEP YOUR LIGHTS ONAND KEEP YOUR FAMILY INTHEIR HOME.HERE'S 41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER JORDANBETTS.Jordan Betts, 41 Action News"Today is the first of themonth, which things like rentand utility bills are due.Still,millions of Americans are stillstruggling to keep up becauseof unemployment.
But, there ishelp right here in KC."THE SALVATION ARMY INKANSAS CITY ISCONSTANTLY HELPINGPEOPLE.natsWHEN THE PANDEMICBEGAN, A NUMBER OFPEOPLE SOUGHT WENT TOTHE SALVATION ARMY FORHELP.Doug Donahoo,The Salvation Army KansasWesternMissouri Division"Some of our corps and theirfood pantries saw an increaseof about 400 percent in termsof people they were helpingwith food on a regular basis."MONTHS INTO THEPANDEMIC...AND A NUMBEROF PEOPLE STILLUNEMPLOYED, THEORGANIZATION IS TRYINGTO MEET ANOTHERDEMAND...Doug Donahoo,The Salvation Army KansasWesternMissouri Division"Folks have been unable tounfortunately to make thosepayments on their utility bills.For some, for several monthsnow."THE U-S BUREAU OFLABOR STATISTICS SAYS INJULY, MORE THAN 106,000PEOPLE ARE WITHOUT AJOB.IN MISSOURI, THATNUMBER NEAR ASTAGGERING 211,000.BUT, THERE IS HELP OUTTHERE...ONLINE, PEOPLE CANAPPLY FOR ASSISTANCEFROM PLACES LIKE THESALVATION ARMY WHEN ITCOMES TO PAYINGMONTHLY BILLS.Doug Donahoo,The Salvation Army KansasWesternMissouri Division"We have dollar limits rightnow.
We have $1,000 that isavailable for rent or mortgagepayments or $400 that isavailable for utility billpayment."THE APPLICATION WILL ASKFOR THINGS LIKE LEASEAGREEMENTS, FURLOUGHLETTERS PRE AND POSTCOVID-19 BANKSTATEMENTS.NON-PROFIT SAYS THISPROCESS MIGHT BELENGTHLY BUT COULDSAVE YOU FROM GETTINGEVICTED.Doug Donahoo,The Salvation Army KansasWesternMissouri Division"The Salvation Army exists tohelp people in crisis.
Whetherthat's crisis is global in scaleor a very personal one.
Wedon't bring people in to judgethem.
We bring people in tohelp them and offer them ourassistance and support."JORDAN BETTS 41 ACTION