WACO, Texas — This week, Major Jim Taylor, Commanding Officer for The Salvation Army of McLennan County, discussed the plans on breaking ground for a new campus on La Salle Avenue in 2024.
BROADCAST SCRIPT:
A brand new facility for The Salvation Army in Waco is set to break ground next year.
“The people that come to The Salvation Army for help are going to be able to get it at one location,” Major Taylor said.
With the City of Waco approving $1 million in federal funding to the organization’s project last week, they’re that much closer to their $20 million goal to make their dream a reality.
“Right now, we’re in the fundraising period — we roughly have $12 million out of the $20 million that we need," Mayor Taylor said.
"We’ll continue to try to get the money in hand or at least get pledges so that we’re able to know that we’re going to have the money we need in order to build the facilities we want to build here."
There are questions being raised about where that money is actually going.
“We have our capital campaign — all the money raised for the capital campaign is just for the capital project — all the money that we raise through our our Christmas kettles, thrift store proceeds, our mail appeals that we do throughout the year, that’s all for operations, day to day operations throughout the year," Mayor Taylor said.
"The money that is given to us for the capital campaign, like the money that was just granted to us through the city council and other donors, that are getting behind this project, that’s all used through the capital projects."
This is a project that Major Taylor is excited to watch come full circle.
“I think what I’m looking forward to most is not the breaking of the ground," Mayor Taylor said.
"That’ll be a big day, but I’m looking forward to the completion of the project."
