In an effort to better serve the Hampton and Portsmouth communities The Salvation Army of Northern New England will be merging the two corps units effective June 1^st.

The new corps community center, which will be known as the Greater Seacoast Corps, is located at the current address 15 Middle street in Portsmouth providing help for men, women and children in need.

The Greater Seacoast Corps will continue to administer programs and services as well as conducting Sunday Worship.  The Salvation Army will also continue to provide general assistance to Hampton residents and nearby towns at the office located at 28-D Depot Square in Hampton.  The Hampton office will be open  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm.

Major Raphael Jackson, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army in the Northern New England Division shared, “We anticipate that the merge of these two corps will help to strengthen our service and ministry to these two communities and the surrounding area. The reduction of facility expenses will allow us to give an even greater focus on the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of local residents.  Moving forward we would like to identify a new location in the Seacoast area”.

The Greater Seacoast Corps will be commanded by Major DonnaMarie Reed, who has been serving as the commanding Officer for The Salvation Army in Hampton.

While the June 1st date officially represents the merger of the two units the full transition is expected to take place over several months. There will be no interruption of services during the transition phase.

The Salvation Army has ministered to the needs of residents of Hampton since 1995 and Portsmouth since 1894 and values its charitable role in both communities. Salvation Army officials anticipate that, with this merger, its ability to help those in need will be greatly enhanced.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide.

For further information, please contact Pat James at 207-774-6304. Ext. 232