The Salvation Army in East Cleveland Expands Programs in the Nation's Poorest City
Cleveland, OH (March 18th, 2025)—In early 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that the City of East Cleveland has the lowest median family income in the United States for cities with a population of at least 5,000. With a median family income of $37,500, many East Clevelanders struggle to make ends meet. While this is a staggering statistic, the Salvation Army in East Cleveland has been focused on uplifting and bringing hope to its local community.
The Salvation Army’s East Cleveland Corps Community Center, located at 1507 Doan Avenue in East Cleveland, opened its doors in February 2017. It has become a beacon of hope for a community that needs support. This location provides a weekly food pantry, hot meals, utility assistance, a senior program, and robust recreation programming such as soccer for youth and an open gym for basketball for all ages. In addition, The Salvation Army provides weekly programming for adults and youth with bible studies and fellowship activities to engage in the community's physical and spiritual needs.
“The City of East Cleveland is an ever-growing and changing population. We continue to see lines for our food pantry and hot meal programs each week. We understand how low median family income takes a toll on our friends and neighbors in need, which is why we will be here to provide them with a hand up during difficult times,” stated Captain Travis Barton, Commanding Corps Officer of The Salvation Army’s East Cleveland Corps Community Center.
Each year, The Salvation Army in East Cleveland serves over 23,000 individuals and 5,400 families in the community. During Christmas, the Salvation Army also provides toys to over 1,000 children in the area.
The Salvation Army has become a beacon of hope for one young individual, Myles Jackson. He and his mother were introduced to The Salvation Army in East Cleveland in 2017. They became active in ministries and worked to help uplift their community. Recently, Myles suffered the loss of his mother, but the new community he built has been there to wrap around him to support him.
"My gift in serving at The Salvation Army is that I get the opportunity to help others experience love and hope," states Myles. Through The Salvation Army, Myles has found a place to belong and a family where he feels safe and cared for.
As the community's needs continue to grow, the Salvation Army is adding programs to address unmet needs. Throughout this year, they will seek to implement a resume writing class, SAT/GED prep classes, interview prep classes, a summer day camp for youth, and a drop-in center for teens.
“We are excited to expand our program offerings in 2025. Each of these programs will help support the residents of East Cleveland in ways that are not currently being met in our city. As The Salvation Army, we look for locations that strongly reflect the needs in our area and hope that adding more programming will uplift our community,” continued Captain Barton.