SARATOGA SPRINGS — Most know them for their red kettles and presence during the holiday season – but the Salvation Army, which sites its county headquarters on Woodlawn Avenue in Saratoga Springs, supports local families with a variety of programs throughout the year.

On premises there is a food pantry, and a place where after-school youth programs offer kindergartners to high school seniors help in reading, social and life skills, and the playing of musical instruments. The organization also works with thrift stores in Clifton Park, Queensbury, and Glens Falls, as well as with local agencies such as Shelters of Saratoga, and RISE.

“A lot of the people are those who just walk through the door and say: I need help,” says Lt. Michael Dow, Lt., the Corps Officer at The Salvation Army in Saratoga Springs.

“That could be physical health, mental health, food insecurities. They could need help with heating their apartment or house, with gas in their car, or getting to medical appointments. Really, it encompasses a lot, and people can walk in the door or call,” said Dow, who along with wife and fellow Salvation Army Lt. Cassidy Dow have been involved through their families with the Salvation Army since their respective childhoods.

“It runs deep in our blood,” says Dow, whose office windows face the Woodlawn Avenue parking garage, where those who are homeless often congregate. Here too, assistance is offered.

“We see things and it just hurts our hearts, but we are able to provide a meal, to provide a shower, to offer a place to come in, to help them feel safe and comfortable before they go back out on the street,” he says.

Donations to The Salvation Army Red Kettles during the holidays, meanwhile, help support many of the organization’s missions.

“Eighty-five cents of every dollar that goes in to the kettle goes right back out to the community,” Dow says.

The origin of the red kettle traces back to a December day in 1891 when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee sought a way to collect funds to provide a free Christmas dinner to San Francisco’s poor. McFee’s idea took off. Within four years, the kettle was used in 30 Salvation Army locations across the west coast and continued to spread globally. Red Kettles can now be found across the U.S. and Europe, Korea, Japan, Chile, and Australia. 

On Friday, Dec. 9, an anonymous donor has offered to match every kettle donation locally. The red kettles are stationed at Walmart stores in Wilton and Clifton Park, Price Chopper stores on Route 50 and in Clifton Park, and along Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

The red kettles will be out through Christmas Eve. People interested in volunteering for a few hours of ringing downtown, or businesses interested in allowing a kettle to be set up can call Dow to offer their help.

“Christmastime is a huge fundraiser for the Salvation Army and everything we are able to do day-to-day Is based upon how funds are raised during this season. We are fortunate to have a community that’s so giving – although just to be honest we are a little behind in our goal this Christmas season, so any and every dollar helps,” Dow said.

The fundraising goal is $134,000 and donations may be made in person at the red kettles (where a QR Code is also available) or online through the organization’s website.

On a grand scale, the Salvation Army supports recovery efforts in national and international disasters: helping families prepare for the bitter cold in Ukraine by providing basic hygiene, warm meals, and blankets; readying dozens of mobile feeding units to mobilize across Florida during recent Hurricane Ian relief efforts, and supporting families in the aftermath of devastating floods in Pakistan.

In its fight against hunger and food insecurity, more than 56 million meals are provided annually through food pantries, meal programs, and no-cost sustainable community gardens.

It engages in anti-human trafficking efforts by providing ongoing support and services to victimized survivors, and serves displaced men, women and children with local Salvation Army homeless shelters and both transitional and permanent supportive housing programs.

The tax-exempt organization operates more than 7,000 centers in communities across the U.S., and in 2021 served more than 25 million people.

Locally, emergency programs help families pay their rent and utility bills, and through its care management program provides frequent face-to-face time with adults and kids experiencing health conditions. 

The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope initiative provides enhanced services to families with children desiring to take action to break the cycle of crisis and intergenerational poverty. By 2030, through the Pathway of Hope, The Salvation Army says it will make a lasting difference in reducing intergenerational poverty by transforming the lives of 100,000 families in the United States.

“It’s a fantastic program,” Dow says.

The Salvation Army of Saratoga Springs is located at 27 Woodlawn Ave., just east of Broadway and opposite the parking garage. Call 518-584-1640, or go to: https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/empire/saratoga-springs/

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Continuing its efforts to better the communities it serves, Healthy Living has committed to giving back this year, with the help of shoppers, through its “Together We Can Help” program.

By rounding up purchases to the next dollar, Healthy Living shoppers have contributed to a number of local nonprofit organizations serving Saratoga Springs and South Burlington and Williston in Vermont.

Those roundups, along with matches from Healthy Living, totaled $91,146.56 as of Dec. 1.

“Being the recipient of the generosity of Healthy Living Market and their customers is an honor for our all-volunteer charity,” Mark Mulholland, president and founder of donation recipient Kelly’s Angels, said. “The funds from the round-up campaign will enable us to help local children who have lost a parent or sibling to cancer or other illness or who are battling a life-threatening condition to smile through memory-making Fun Grants and pursue advanced education through college scholarships.”

Recipient organizations include: Things of My Very Own (Schenectady), Kelly’s Angels, Inc. (Wilton), Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (Saratoga Springs), Williston Community Food Shelf (Williston, VT), South Burlington Food Shelf (South Burlington, VT), Lund (South Burlington, VT), Sara Holbrook Community Center (Burlington, VT) and Intervale Center (Burlington, VT)

For more information, visit healthylivingmarket.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center has launched their annual Mitten Tree Program. 

Ongoing through Saturday, Dec. 31, members of the local community are invited to contribute warm winter wear to the Visitor Center Mitten Tree located at 297 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. All donations will benefit the following organizations: CAPTAIN Community Human Services, Franklin Community Center, and Shelters of Saratoga.

Instead of ornaments or lights, the tree is decorated with warm winter items such as hats, scarves, gloves, and of course, mittens. If you’d like to donate, the Visitor Center asks that you hang new or handmade items upon the tree. 

Visitor Center hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.discoversaratoga.org/saratoga-springs-visitor-center.

ROCK CITY FALLS —In response to the high rate of area substance use and multiple fatal overdoses, a new coalition has formed in the Milton-Galway area. 

Titled the Milton-Galway Community Coalition (MGCC), the coalition meets every first Monday of the month from 5-6 p.m. at the Rock City Falls Firehouse, located at 119 Rock City Road.  The next meeting is Monday, Dec. 5. 

The group is open to all who have an interest in reducing substance misuse and improving the overall quality of life in the community. The coalition is planning to apply for Drug Free Communities (DFC) funding in the spring

The group says concern prompted the community to take action by organizing and beginning the development of programs and prevention resources directed towards the community to reduce addiction, substance misuse and risky behavior.

For more information, follow MGCC on Facebook @MiltonGalway CommunityCoalition.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The City Council unanimously voted to approve the adoption of a $57 million budget for 2023, during a special meeting staged Nov. 28 at City Hall. 

The 2023 budget is up approximately $2.8 million compared to the adopted budget in effect during the current year.   

Specifics of the spending plan include $31.3 million for personnel, which incorporates the addition of several new position across departments, and the re-addition of 6 police officers into the Department of Public Safety budget. All police officer positions are fully funded, and there is a stipulation for the hiring of 16 new firefighters. An additional $15 million has been budgeted as benefits. These include just under $10 million for healthcare, and $4.8 million in the retirement system. 

Overall, personnel and benefits account for more than 80% of the annual spending plan. 

During the Public Hearing segment prior to the vote, two residents stepped forward to speak to the council. 

Bill McTygue called the spending plan’s directive to add 16 new firefighters and EMS personnel as well as six police officers unprecedented when compared to previous annual city budgets. “My salute to all of you who worked together on this historic document,” McTygue said. 

Gordon Boyd, the second speaker during the public hearing, echoed McTygue’s comments related to the budget, as well as complimenting council members on their transparency “in approaching justice issues,” as it related to the city’s prompt release of information and visual documents regarding a downtown shooting that occurred Nov. 20. 

The early Sunday morning altercation turned into an exchange of gunfire that spilled onto Broadway and ultimately resulted in approximately 20 shots being fired. The 3 a.m. incident is believed to have begun as a verbal dispute at a bar on Caroline Street between an off-duty Sheriff’s Deputy from Vermont and a group of individuals from the Utica area, during which approximately eight shots were fired. City police officers responding to the incident fired approximately 11 shots after the off-duty deputy allegedly ignored calls to drop his weapon. 

The incident marked the first discharge of a weapon in the line of duty by a Saratoga Springs officer in more than a quarter-century. City officials staged a press conference at City Hall less than 12 hours after the incident had occurred. 

State Police apparently took over the investigation and a temporary restraining order was issued after Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen reportedly filed a request to silence the flow of information regarding the incident, effectively gagging city officials from discussing the events further. 

Regarding property taxes, the tax levy increase is 2.9%. What this means: For a home assessed value at $200,000 inside the district, the increase is about $37 per year. For home assessed value at $300,000, the increase is just under $56 per year, and at $400,000 there will be an increase of about $74.50 annually, or $6.21 per month.    

SARATOGA SPRINGS —In 2020, the city found itself faced with a problem.  

An increasing pattern of people experiencing street-homelessness were frequently failing to appear in court, while others were re-offending shortly after being convicted. The result was a backlog of warrants and a significant amount of law enforcement time and resources spent policing individuals experiencing street-homelessness for minor, yet disruptive, offenses.

A collaborative effort between the Saratoga Springs Mayor’s Office, City Court Judge Francine Vero and RISE Housing and Support Services assisted in the design of a Community Outreach Court. Two years later, the program is showing signs of success. 

“Before the court, people who were homeless and getting citations were just not showing up. The dockets were backlogged, and no one was getting the help they needed,” RISE Executive Director Sybil Newell explained last week, during the organization’s annual update to the City Council.  “Since October 2020, the RISE Outreach Court Team has been present at every session, and 60 individuals have participated; 77% have appeared at all court dates versus 0% prior to this program being active.”  

The post-discharge results point to 14 people who have graduated and remained arrest free for six months; 9 who ended up in jail and served their sentences; 6 hospitalized psychiatrically and 3 who entered into rehab programs, Newell said.  “I consider the hospitalizations and entering into rehab programs to be successful, because that’s where they needed to be at that time.” 

Additionally, 70% of the people involved in the program complied with all their court orders, and 78% have maintained contact with RISE Housing & Support Service. The housing agency sites its main offices on Union Avenue and is tasked with providing safe, healthy housing and support services to people with mental health concerns, substance use, and other life challenges.

The Community Outreach Court in Saratoga Springs, initiated in October 2020, stands as the only outreach court in upstate New York.

Francine Vero serves as judge for the Saratoga Springs City Court, as well as judge of the Outreach Court. Vero provided a statement to the city in conjunction with the annual report. 

“When I took office, I was dismayed by the number of individuals suffering from homelessness charged with offenses who failed to appear in City Court when directed and re-offended shortly after being convicted. It was evident this ‘revolving door approach’ to court proceedings was ineffective,” Vero wrote. 

With the formation of the Community Outreach Court in late 2020 anyone charged with a non-violent offense and lacking a stable residence was connected with a RISE coordinator after arraignment. That person was subsequently connected with social services they were in need of. Transportation was also provided to court appearances, treatment appointments and psychological evaluations. 

“They work with individuals while they are incarcerated, setting them up for success with the treatment and housing plans for when they are released from jail,” the judge wrote. “The Community Outreach Court has proven to benefit the community and improve the lives of the participants.”    

Officials call it a dignified and research-based approach to working with people experiencing homelessness, improving the quality of life within the community, as well as resulting in administrative cost benefits by decongesting court dockets and reducing the amount of time the police department spends responding to calls and arrests.

 “As we all know, the Woodland parking garage is still quite a situation – but of the individuals going through the Community Outreach Court: it is effective, and they are staying away from that parking garage,” Newell told the council. “In terms of overall impact, of the people who have gone through this court program, 90% of them have avoided the Woodlawn parking garage, 72% have remained arrest and conviction free, and 66% have refrained from substance abuse. This is information that we get from the police and the courts,“ she said. 

“The situation at the garage was exacerbated over the summer when the encampment in the woods was emptied out. So, that’s mainly what is driving the (activity) at the parking garage; they were kicked out of the encampment in the woods and there’s no place else to go just yet,” she said. “We are working on some housing for them.”