Wake Salvation Army Parts With Triangle United Way

Triangle United Way

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Board members at the Salvation Army insist the groups are not parting on bad terms. They said it is a a business decision to try to raise more money and help more people.

Social Ministries director Christine Shaw turns away homeless families from the Women and Children's Shelter at the Wake County Salvation Army each day. The 32-bed facility has 20 families on its waiting list.

"It is difficult, I guess, because you have to make tough decisions about who to help, when to help and what's the most immediate way to help people," she said.

Those are just some of the reasons why members of the Salvation Army of Wake County voted unanimously to part ways with the Triangle United Way.

Board Chairman Prentiss Baker said the Salvation Army believes it can do a better job of fund raising on its own.

"We need to raise more money," Baker said. "We want to go out and have the freedom to do our own thing and try to serve more people."

The Triangle United Way funds up to 4 percent of the Salvation Army's budget. Over the past three years, the amounts have gone down significantly.

In 2000-01, the charity received more than $339,235 from the Triangle United Way. In 2001-02, it received a little more than $310,242. In the first half 2002-03, the amount dwindled to almost $78,900 -- totaling about $157,000 for the year.

That is less than half of what the Salvation Army received three years earlier.

"We have a lot of demands right now that we need to raise more money [for]. We have to find a way to do that," Baker said.

Graig Chancellor, Triangle United Way president, said the organization has enjoyed its relationship with the Salvation Army and it hopes to continue a positive relationship with the charity in the future.