The Bold Goals Coalition’s Financial Services Network (FSN) partners with eight nonprofit financial service providers to help people in Central Alabama achieve financial stability. During the next several months, these messages will feature members of the FSN Steering Committee as they highlight these partners’ incredible work, and offer their perspectives on the impact of the FSN.
This month, we spoke with Major Roger Glick, Area Commander of Birmingham’s Salvation Army, about his mission and the role that the FSN can play in helping serve the Salvation Army’s clients. Relatively new to Birmingham, Major Glick and his wife DeeAnn (also a Salvation Army Major) previously served as Area Commanders in Little Rock, Arkansas. “Four years in Little Rock provided an opportunity for me to cut my teeth on being an Area Commander,” said Major Glick. “Hopefully Birmingham will benefit from the growth I experienced in that appointment. I approach my tenure here with a humble confidence.”
To support individuals and families throughout the community, the Salvation Army offers a variety of housing and financial-assistance services, including its Angel Tree program, which gives members of the community an opportunity to provide food, clothing and other essentials, as well as toys, to children and families in need during the holidays.
Though the Salvation Army is able to aid thousands of clients every year, Major Glick recognizes that no one organization has the capacity to meet the needs of an entire community. “We do a lot, but there is also a lot we cannot do – at least not alone,” he said. That’s where the FSN comes in. “Some of the most prominent challenges [for our clients] are the needs for help in money management as well as how to gain employment/education, grow their income and become self-sufficient.”
By partnering with the FSN, Major Glick is actively working to create additional opportunities for all of the clients that he and his team serve. “We chose to participate in the FSN for the purpose and goals that align so closely with the Salvation Army’s programs,” he said. “[The partnership] provides hands-on training and accountability to the clients. It helps change the path of many children’s lives. If there is a service we cannot provide, we can offer a referral to the FSN when appropriate.”
By supplementing and complementing the capabilities of individual organizations such as the Salvation Army, the Bold Goals Financial Services Network is helping break down barriers to people’s ability to become financially stable and independent. Together, we’re building a stronger community.