Salvation Army in Belleville launches new effort to help homeless persons
When Justian Corliss’ job fell through in 2008 and the economy tanked, he and his family exhausted their savings and became homeless in Chicago.
They were living in a van and bouncing between the homes of their friends.
So the former bank employee knows firsthand how the respite center at The Salvation Army’s site in Belleville can help those in need.
Corliss is now the captain of The Salvation Army in Belleville, which on Thursday officially announced the opening of The Sanctuary, a place to give homeless persons a place to cool off as Friday’s forecast calls for a high of 100, get a meal and receive referral services.
Corliss and several speakers from area organizations that serve the homeless participated in the grand opening ceremony for the center.
The center is in The Salvation Army’s building at 20 Glory Place off the intersection of South 41st and West Main streets in Belleville.
The hours for the Sanctuary are 10-11:45 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a hot meal served at noon each of those days.
The ‘look’ of homelessness
Corliss said a place like The Sanctuary really would have been helpful when his family was homeless.
“So to have a place where you can come during the day, just for respite, what that would have meant for me to have a place where I could just get off the street, get out of my van for a little while. It would have meant so much,” he said during the ceremony.
“And so for us, we have to recognize all the different elements that homelessness can look like within our community. It doesn’t always look the same,” he said.
“So as a community, we have to pull together our resources and not only meet the immediate issue but to dive deeper into the resolution.”
Future plans to serve homeless
The Sanctuary had a “soft” opening May 5 and about five persons a day have been seeking help and Corliss expects that number to increase as word spreads about the center.
Corliss said The Salvation Army would like to expand services to give aid such as showers, laundry facilities and overnight shelter, which the group once provided in Belleville. A prevous effort to offer laundry services and showers was halted because of plumbing problems, Corliss said.
The long-term goal is to provide counseling and training to help homeless persons find jobs, get their own place to live, obtain medical care and build their independence.
Corliss, who is being transferred to The Salvation Army in St. Charles, Missouri, later this month, said new leaders will be taking over the Belleville center.
For now, he said more volunteers are needed.
For more information about services or how to volunteer, call 618-235-7378.
Inspiration to help
Joe Hubbard, who has helped persons in need for 60 years in the metro-east, was honored during the ceremony Thursday.
Hubbard said he was 18 when he began his work and now at 78, he continues as vice president of the Belleville Council of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
“I respect all of you and ask for you to reach out and touch someone to make life better for the people that you come in contact with,” Hubbard told the audience.
“I just want to thank everybody who takes their time, their talent and their love to make life better for those who are broken and hurting.”
Hubbard, who founded the Belleville Diocese’s Catholic Urban Programs in 1973, said people can give a note to someone who is lonely, say hello to someone struggling, or take food to someone.
“No matter what you do to make life better for the people around is what helps us to make life better for all the community,” Hubbard said.
This story was originally published June 17, 2021 at 3:22 PM.
