Salvation Army Shelter & Day Care

The Salvation Army in Cambridge runs a set of social services out of Central Square, including a drop-in day shelter, a pop-up food pantry and the Our Place Day Care Center. Our Place works with families to help them break the cycle of homelessness and reach self-sufficiency, while the feeding programs are open to anyone in need. The corps also serves as a church, holding worship services alongside its practical aid.

The Salvation Army began in London in 1865 as William Booth’s East London Christian Mission and has been active in the eastern United States since 1880. In Cambridge, programs are led by Salvation Army officers, ordained pastors who also act as executive directors, currently Captains Bree Barker and Trisha Smouse. The Cambridge corps also offers youth programs and seasonal help, including Thanksgiving and Christmas assistance for local families.

What to Know

• The Cambridge corps serves Arlington, Medford and Somerville as well as Cambridge.
• An annual back-to-school event with TD Garden prepares more than 3,000 Boston-area children for the school year.
• Volunteers and donors can sign up to help, and funding for essential human services is the greatest current need.
• The organization aims to meet human needs without discrimination.