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Salvation Army's Laura Bloom walks Rep. Knight (left) and Assemblyman Acosta (right) through the food found in their pantry. Photo by Caleb Lunetta / KHTS

Knight, Acosta Tour Santa Clarita Valley Salvation Army Offices

Taking a break from speeches and government business, Congressman Steve Knight, R-Santa Clarita, and Assemblymember Dante Acosta, R-Santa Clarita, stopped by the Salvation Army offices in Newhall Thursday.


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Organized by Councilmember Bob Kellar, both Acosta and Knight took time to visit the families and volunteers at the Salvation Army offices on Lyons Avenue.

“It’s an honor to come down here because the Salvation Army does so much for so many people, and they do it the right way,” said Knight. “It’s the gold standard for helping people and getting those in need to a better place in life.”

The Salvation Army tour began with a sit-down discussion between the volunteers running the local office and their elected officials. The conversation revolved around which programs the nonprofit was seeing success locally, as well as frank comments about areas that could be improved.

Both Knight and Acosta stated that while it’s a busy time for both of them — with the November election heating up for both their campaigns — they said they empathized with the volunteers at the Salvation Army offices, whose largest fundraiser and biggest season is also quickly approaching.

Rep. Knight speaks with Jerry Bloom, the envoy in charge at the Santa Clarita Valley Salvation Army offices, while touring the organization’s Lyons Avenue facilities. Photo by Caleb Lunetta / KHTS

“This is an important time for the Salvation Army as the money raised from the Red Kettles throughout the holiday season is what is used to help the local community in need not just during the holidays, but all year long,” said Heather Duncan, an advisory board member for the Santa Clarita Corps. “Last year The Salvation Army brought in over $60,000 from local Red Kettles to support Salvation Army programs here in Santa Clarita.”

Led by husband and wife duo Jerry and Laura Bloom, the Santa Clarita Valley Corps leaders said that they are busy preparing for the hectic time of year, but also eagerly anticipating the relationships they get to build and assistance they get to provide through their holiday season work.

“We take care of roughly 350 families at Christmas. We give them a week’s worth of groceries, winter clothes and a brand new gift,” said Jerry Bloom, envoy in charge at the Santa Clarita Valley Salvation Army. “And that’s all supported from this community and reminds me of the value of this community.”

During the 2017 holiday season, the Santa Clarita Valley Salvation Army Corps was able to provide groceries to more than 370 families and toys and winter clothing to more than 2,000 children, according to Duncan.

As Knight continued to ask questions about the Salvation Army’s vocational and job training programs, Acosta was presented with a certificate of appreciation as well as a miniaturized bell famously held every year by the nonprofit’s Santa Claus volunteers standing next to red kettles in public places.

Assemblyman Acosta receives a commemorative, miniaturized “Red Kettle Bell” from Laura Bloom. Photo by Caleb Lunetta / KHTS

Following the discussion, Knight and Acosta, as well as the accompanying entourage of staff and media, were taken to the food storage rooms and Sunday school area.

For the Santa Clarita Valley Corps, the visit from the Santa Clarita government leaders was both an opportunity to show the needs and care they have for their work here in Santa Clarita, but also serves as a supportive validation of how they serve their immediate neighbors.

“Sometimes we feel like we’re in this thing all by ourselves and it’s easy to feel like the whole thing is on you,” said Bloom. “But to have him is to have that encouragement and that support and to show that he’s interested. It speaks to the value of who the Salvation Army is in this community, and that he supports what we do.”

The store room filled with canned and packaged food remains open to those in need throughout the year, with family members being able to visit the room and make a selection from the various foods and produce items charitably offered to them.

But by year’s end, officials hope the contributions of food and everyday necessities will fill the pantry wall to wall, ensuring a happy holiday season for all of the Santa Clarita families the Salvation Army supports.

“I was a bell ringer myself a few years back and I’d like to do it again this year,” Knight said at the conclusion of the tour.

The Salvation Army, Santa Clarita Valley Corps Red Kettle Campaign will begin with the annual kickoff event on Thursday, Nov. 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will run until Dec. 22.

Along for the tour was Councilmember Bob Kellar, as well as many volunteers for The Salvation Army. Photo by Caleb Lunetta / KHTS.

For more information on how to donate, or to get involved with the Santa Clarita Valley Corps of The Salvation Army, visit their website here.

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Knight, Acosta Tour Santa Clarita Valley Salvation Army Offices

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About Caleb Lunetta

Caleb has been a Santa Clarita resident for most of his life. After attending Hart High School, Caleb went on to study political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara along with College of the Canyons.