Listen to this article
Del Oro
The Del Oro Division, under the leadership of Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Charles Strickland, recently hosted its first Social Services Conference.
With the implementation of welfare reform, issues surrounding employment and child care have increasingly come into focus as critical areas of concern. Debra Angel, a renowned national speaker and workshop presenter led sessions to assist front-line personnel, and caseworkers in helping their clients to become employed.
Angel is president of WorkNet Training Services, assisting organizations throughout the country in developing effective career placement programs.
Cathy Hill, Riverside, Calif., led a session on developing child care programs. With 25 years experience as director of The Salvation Army Greater Los Angeles child care program, and now the Riverside Day Care Center, she shared her knowledge in government-subsidized and non-profit fee-based child care programs, as well as licensing, budgets and other considerations.
Strickland challenged the delegates to continue to reach out in Jesus’ name to those in need and remember Jesus’ words from Matthew 25, “whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
The response by personnel to the first Social Services Conference in the Del Oro Division was extremely positive. “Our officers and social service personnel are anxious to minister to people in need in their communities,” said Elsa Cisar, divisional social services consultant. “Coming together for this conference, we explored some practical ways in which The Salvation Army may assist individuals and families to make the transition from welfare to work.”
