Monday, March 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
"Shocking" is one word the Salvation Army uses to describe the brisk business it has done with Southern Nevada's poor and homeless in recent months.
In the four categories for which the organization keeps statistics -- family services, shelter for homeless men, shelter for homeless women and children, and numbers served in its dining room -- records have been set in nearly every month between September and January.
When February's statistics are released later this month, more records are expected to be set.
"Last year, the number of people we helped in family services was up 31 percent from the previous record of 26,797 in 1995 to 35,051," said Salvation Army spokesman Sumner Dodge.
"At the rate we are going this early in the year, we will be up at least 31 percent over last year. It's really shocking."
Dodge says today's families are facing more economic pressures that keep some of them teetering on the brink of homelessness.
"Rents are continually being raised and, despite reports that say otherwise, there is significant inflation," Dodge said. "We are seeing more homeless families than ever before."
In the family services category, monthly records were recorded at the Salvation Army in September through November and in January.
In the shelter for men category -- the most shocking of all the statistics -- records have been set every month since September, and most of them were near double the previous highs. Also, records were set for every month but two in this category from January-December 1996.
In the shelter for women category, records were set in every month from October through January.
In the dining category, more poor and homeless people were fed from September through December on a monthly basis than ever before.
"The number of families in need in Las Vegas is continuing at a very high level in early 1997," said Lt. Col. Jim Sullivan, director of the local chapter of the Salvation Army, which provides many of its services at its 35 W. Owens Ave. complex.
"We are hoping that this trend slows down in the near future or else many of these families may start dropping into homelessness. This would be a tragedy for our community."
Indications are, however, that the trend will not slow down.
"A good indicator of whether records are going to be set has been the attendance at our (nightly Salvation Army) chapel services," Dodge said. "It has been so crowded recently that some people have had to sit on the floor."
On top of that, the Salvation Army ran out of monthly funds for work cards and utility assistance during the first week of January and February, Dodge said.
"The work card fee has increased from $20 to $35, which has just about cut in half the number of people we can help each month," Dodge said.
Despite the strain on the utility assistance funds, Sullivan is trying to increase service in that area.
"One area where the public can help us is by adding a dollar or two to their monthly Nevada Power bill for the LIFT program," Sullivan said. "This will enable us to make emergency utility bill payments for those families who are on the verge of becoming homeless."
Here's a look at the Salvation Army monthly record statistics (with previous -- or, in some cases, existing -- record and year in parentheses):
* People helped by family services: September: 3,077 (2,502 in 1995); October: 3,232 (2,653 in 1995); November: 3,543 (2,954 in 1992); December: 2,996 (existing record: 4,240 in 1993); January: 3,089 (2,777 in 1996).
* Men given shelter: September: 4,056 (1,967 in 1995) October: 5,433 (2,873 in 1994); November: 6,585 (3,288 in 1992); December: 7,070 (3,348 in 1992); January: 7,410 (4,083 in 1995).
* Women and children given shelter: September: 1,572 (existing record: 1,713 in 1994); October: 2,516 (2,217 in 1994); November: 2,701 (1,393 in 1995); December: 2,609 (774 in 1993); January: 2,609 (1,751 in 1995).
* Dinners served: September: 18,760 (16,184 in 1994); October: 18,757 (17,369 in 1994); November: 19,217 (17,079 in 1995); December: 20,260 (18,555 in 1995); January: 16,487 (existing record: 20,534 in 1993).
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