Salvation Army plans to close Austintown location

STAFF REPORT

AUSTINTOWN — After a yearlong process, the Salvation Army in Mahoning County has decided to close its 6431 Mahoning Ave. location to reduce operating costs.

“We chose the location that would have the least impact on the community,” said Major James Foley, from the 1501 Glenwood Ave. Youngstown Salvation Army site.

The Salvation Army is in four locations around Youngstown, and each of those locations is required to have a different officer. According to Foley, none of the officers at the Austintown branch will lose their job but will be reassigned to another Salvation Army in the Eastern territory.

Upon closure of the Austintown site, the programs will move to the Glenwood Salvation Army, which already hosts the majority of services done in the Mahoning Valley. “No services will be affected; we are simply changing from one place to another place,” said Foley.

According to Foley, most of the Austintown programs have already been moved into the Glenwood site and a large number of people serviced out of the Austintown site are geographically closer to the Glenwood location.

The Salvation Army has been serving the Mahoning Valley for 124 years, but has seen sizable annual deficits this past year. “At Christmastime we lost three of our kettle stands, because business owners didn’t want us there,” said Foley.

Like other places, the Salvation Army is suffering from the increased prices in food, gas and utilities, but is also battling donation decreases.