COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Salvation Army extends a hand when people are in need.
Specifically, the organization helps when families want stability to stay in their homes, feed their children and keep them on track in school.
Major Mark Craddock is the area commander of the Salvation Army of the Midlands.
"I call all of my case workers, you're dealers in hope. And so if we can increase the levels of hope in families across the Midlands by giving them housing security, by helping with food and getting their kids back on track with education and we increase hope, we all know what the human spirit does when it has hope. It increases their capacities, increases their success and they just make better decisions together," Craddock said.
Craddock explains folks in need are assigned to a case worker to help them with housing paperwork so they can stay in their homes, and they also help families out by giving bags full of food and taking care of their kids with an after school reading program.
One of those families includes Janice Molden and her three adopted grandchildren.
Molden tells News 19 she found out that the Salvation Army's after school reading program is free. Once she did, she had her grandkids coming to the program every day.
"I need to put them somewhere where somebody can help them along the way," Molden said.
Molden has since become a volunteer, while her grandkids have been in the program for over three years now.
She explains this has made her grandkids better people.
"They love to come because they like what they see. They like the education, they like to read and when they come and read it helps them to explain what they're reading. It helps them to write sentences, it helps them to build their character and their understanding. It gives them knowledge, wisdom and understanding of what they need to do in life. It sets goals," Molden said.
Beyond these programs, the Salvation Army also helps 50 kids go to an engaging summer camp in North Carolina called Camp Walter Johnson for free. It's full of hiking, fishing, swimming and staying in a cabin.
According to Major Craddock, their facility on Farrow Road will soon be getting freezers and refrigerators to expand their food options in their pantry.