Please allow me to provide insight into The Salvation Army’s decision to change our current service model in Durango.
We decided to open a service center to be more transparent with our donors on how we use their gifts and to better understand the needs of Durango residents by serving them directly. Over time, we drifted away from our best practices and began to grant donor money to other organizations instead of using it to provide direct service.
With the new model, we will still collaborate with other agencies, but not just as a funder. At The Salvation Army, money raised locally has always and will always stay local. Eighty-two cents of every dollar is spent on programs.
We look forward to being accountable to our donors about how we use their gifts and reporting our specific outcomes and successes to them.
To avoid disruption in service, remaining funds from our 2017 Red Kettle Season will continue to be distributed to community agencies until we open a Service Center. During our first year, a grant from our headquarters will cover overhead for an office and employee.
Loveland is a success story. With a service center, an additional 300 people received assistance and our fundraising increased. We hope to achieve a similar outcome in Durango and La Plata County, a community we have served since 1903.
We are grateful for the service of past committee members and look forward to restoring relationships and developing new partnerships to help those in need.
Lt. Col. Daniel Starrett
Denver
