Borden Avenue Homeless Shelter Shutters Doors

It seems like the Salvation Army is at it again. Still in the midst of a law suit that is preventing the permanent closure of the Ten Eyck Residence and the Parkside Residence, which provided one of the few safe, cost effective housing options for seniors and working women, the Salvation Army is closing the doors on the Borden Avenue Veteran's Residence, a shelter that housed over 400 homeless veterans until it was shuttered in mid-August. This, as the Bond Street Drop In Shelter in Brooklyn is temporarily closed and moved due to reports of and complaints of neighbors who reported drug use, urinating on entryways and other unsavory practices. This is not long after the New York City Comptroller in 2005 ordered an audit of the Salvation Army's practices at the Carleton House in Queens and found that that Salvation Army had woefully neglected its vulnerable charges there.

However, the closures are not limited to adult housing. In 2005, the Brooklyn Group Home for boys, which housed 100 boys under an ACS agreement ceased operation. Shortly following, Wayside Home for Girls in Long Island closed. The Brooklyn Citadel and Manhattan Citadel, both which housed strong homeless programs for boroughs also are no longer in operation.

So what is the purpose of all of these closures? Has the Salvation Army lost its mission to help the poor and those in need? One might think so.

A visit to the Times Square Center, a brand new building which was built at a cost of no less than $5 million dollars and dedicated in 2002, is unnerving. The center, which is administered by Captains Bill and Analise Francis, finds that there is no social worker, no drop off site for clothing, and seldom anyone answering the door at all. Theatre 315, a successful program that is lauded on the Salvation Army's own web site has been discontinued and calling the number provided 212-975-9988, gives only an answering machine.

Unfortunately, mismanagement and the Salvation Army is often kept quiet, but often goes unchecked for long periods of time. Take for example, the recent lawsuit filed by illegal immigrants in New Jersey alleging that Salvation Army pastors took their money and promised them legal status. In addition, accounting fraud has been reported in the New York, including one that involved the Bond Street Drop-In Center in 2006.

All focus instead these days seems to be on building the multi-million dollar Kroc center in Staten Island, which will not house poor, feed the hungry but a state of the art gym and recreational facilities for those who can AFFORD the membership fees. But what about the poor, the hungry? What about its own purported soup and soap agenda?

;For more info check out where most needed:Oversight and the Salvation Army