MADISON, Wis. — The Salvation Army of Dane County has cut eight positions and all of its community programs are set to end.
Michael Sjogren, area coordinator for the Salvation Army Dane County, said all after school, gym, recreation and summer day camp programs will end on March 28.
“The hope is that through our current partnerships that we will be able to strengthen some of those with other agencies that serve similar demographics,” said Sjogren.
Sjogren said these programs served around 30 children from the Darbo Drive area.
“So, we will have kids coming in a couple hours after school and we will get them some education time, some recreation time,” said Sjogren.
In a press release sent to Spectrum News, the Salvation Army of Dane County stated these changes were necessary for long-term sustainability.
The press release also stated that during the pandemic, the Salvation Army received grants and public funding that allowed them to expand; most of this funding stopped following the pandemic.
Will Green is the founder of Mentoring Positives, a nonprofit organization dedicated to guiding youth down a positive path of growth and development.
The nonprofit organization has used the Salvation Army building to help at risk youth for the past 21 years.
Green said the programs that are being taken away are crucial to the community.
“It is always a blow when you miss out on resources that were right in the neighborhood because a lot of people in Darbo can walk across the street and be in that space,” said Green.
Green said he wants the community to know that just because the Salvation Army is ending its programming doesn’t mean he will stop his work.
“Being able to myself hopefully meet with the Salvation Army leadership, request a meeting and put a plan together on mentoring positives and other partners being able to facilitate that space,” said Green.
Sjogren said youth programming is very important to the Salvation Army.
He said just like Green; he is trying to keep serving the community.
“We definitely want to figure out a way to serve this community in ways that are needed and we feel that youth services is that so we would like to find ways to do that, just right now we can not staff it,” said Sjogren.
The eight positions that were cut will not be rehired.