LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Starting this week, the homeless of downtown Little Rock will have one less option for a warm meal.
The Salvation Army is ending its community dinner program, and other groups are preparing for an influx of new visitors to feed.
William Tollett, Development Director for the Salvation Army’s Central Arkansas Area Command, said a decision was made within the last couple weeks to no longer open its doors for dinner beginning June 1.
“It’s the issue of safety and security,” Tollett explained. “That is paramount. And so, when we’ve had one of the most paramount pieces of what we offer to those that we serve that’s been violated, then we’ve had to step back and say, ‘what is most important?’ And what is most important is the security of these women, and children, and families.”
Tollett said the staff at Salvation Army’s main building on W. Markham Street noticed a change in the last six to eight months.
“We’ve had several of our women that have been physically abused in the dining hall,” he claimed. “They’ve been attacked. And we’ve even had pimps and madams coming in, trying to solicit our women into human trafficking.”
Tollett also estimated that as many as 40 percent of the roughly 100 people who take part in the nightly meal does not need it. “There were people that would drive up in their cars, and park their cars and just come in and eat dinner with us,” he said.
From His Throne Ministries offers a nightly meal for the homeless, as well. It formerly operated from a location across the street from the Salvation Army, but recently relocated to the corner of Arch and Roosevelt. Canvas Community United Methodist Church is another popular spot for the homeless community downtown, and it offers a free dinner every Wednesday.
Paul Atkins, an associate pastor at Canvas Community, said they and others would make sure the needs of the homeless would remain met. “If there’s a big need, the hearts of central Arkansas are pretty big,” he noted, “so there would be people show up, somehow, somewhere, and add another food ministry or food service opportunity somewhere in the city.”
Some volunteers have posted requests on social media for more donations of cash or non-perishable items to hand out during the day. Tollett said the Salvation Army will continue to offer snack boxes to anyone who visits its emergency shelter’s walk-up window, and its staff is telling people about the other locations that will help them. Atkins said many already know about the shelters and churches that will help them.
“Our friends are survivors,” he said. “So, they’re stronger than most folks that have had more resources. So, they will—I have no doubt that they will make a way. They will find a way because that’s just what they do.”
Atkins added that the influx of visitors would not likely put a financial strain on the church, but, “If it does, then that will give us an opportunity to invite more people to partner with us.”
He said he was slightly surprised that the Salvation Army would end its dinner program, but he said it fit with recent strategic changes the organization has made. It no longer houses men in its shelter, and Tollett described a focus on ending generation poverty by focusing on women and children. He mentioned a recently-instituted program that has shown a 77 percent success rate in helping women meet their goals to find housing or employment.
“It’s not just giving a fish or an apple,” he said, “but giving a fishing pole and the apple tree: helping them to become sustainable and independent on a long-term basis.”
Tollett said the Salvation Army might resume the community dinner if it can raise enough money to pay for extra security. Since that was not part of the organization’s budget this year, he said hiring private security guards or off-duty police officers would not be a feasible solution. He added that the community dinners will be suspended, but could resume in the future.
The Salvation Army will, however, continue to serve breakfast to anyone who drops in. Tollett said none of the safety issues that occur during dinnertime have manifested themselves in the morning.