Like so many corps and programs of The Salvation Army, the Glendale Corps and Community Center provides a wide variety of services that reflect the dynamic cultural and societal realities of Southern California.

    But of all the services found at Glendale, none packs the emotional punch as the SAFE REFUGE PROJECT. Funded by the Los Angeles Commission on the Status of Women through the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition and the Office of Refugee Resettlement, US Department of Health & Human Services, Safe Refuge addresses the very real problem of human trafficking. What is human trafficking? It is nothing short of modern day slavery. It takes many forms; the most common scenarios being victims entrapped in commercial sex exploitation or forced labor situations.

    The US State Department estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 victims are trafficked across international borders and a minimum of 14,500 and 17,500 of those victims are trafficked into the United States each year.

    The goals and purposes of the Safe Refuge Project at the Glendale Corps and Community Center is to educate faith-based organizations to the grim reality of human trafficking and help train groups and individuals so that they may actually provide an avenue of escape to victims of human trafficking.

    The Glendale Corps and Community Center also has several strong programs tailored to the youth of the community. The Zone Film Institute is a program of The Salvation Army that supports and encourages the faith and creativity of youth through film education. With Glendale being situated near the center of the film industry in Southern California, volunteers come to share their knowledge and skill with young people who participate in a film school, screenings, and even the creation of student films.

    Glendale is also the home of The Nancy Painter Home, a transitional housing location that accommodates up to 4 families in a historic Victorian home. There, people in need can access such services as life skills, employment readiness and placement, child care, therapy, and education support.

    As it’s obvious to see, The Salvation Army’s Glendale Corps and Community Center is a vibrant hub for much-needed needed services. If you would like to learn more about the Center and what it is doing, or would like to know more about such programs as the Safe Refuge Project, Zone Film Institute, or the Nancy Painter Home, visit their website at www.glendalecorps.org