Two new officers with the Salvation Army of Shelby and Chilton counties provided an overview of the Salvation Army program on Thursday morning in Clanton.

“Our goal is to help others be all that they can be,” Shelby and Chilton counties Corps Officer Rufus McDowell said. “There are a lot of people who are broken, depressed, or going through a hard time right now, and our goal is to love those people and help them in whatever situation they might be facing.”

Rufus McDowell and his wife, Julia McDowell, who is also a Salvation Army Corps Officer, spent the morning at Clanton City Hall briefing individuals on how they will be available to help people in the county in the areas of disaster relief, social needs and spiritual needs.

The McDowells are based in Shelby County, but will also work with those living in Chilton County.

Part of the McDowells’ mission is to build relationships by leading members through worship and fellowship services, offering assistance to those that are in a crisis situation, provide emotional, financial and spiritual assistance, and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Rufus McDowell shared a brief background of how the Salvation Army originally was founded in 1865 by William Booth in London, England.

“Mr. Booth had a heart for the sinners,” McDowell said.

The organization has a military structure based off of Booth’s desire to be a “soldier for the Lord.”

“When people see our uniforms, our goal is that they understand we are there to help them,” Rufus McDowell said. “We are called to go anywhere, and help people in crisis.”

One of the commonly known programs sponsored by the Salvation Army each year is the Christmas Angel Tree program.

This year, Julia McDowell will be in charge of working to coordinate the Chilton County portion.

The annual program assists in providing Christmas gifts for children of needy families.

“When families cannot afford gifts for their children, they can come to us,” Julia McDowell said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for people to become involved. It is amazing to see how one person can influence others to help.”

Currently, Julia McDowell said she is trying to locate storage space in Chilton County to store the gifts that are donated.

Since 2012, the Christmas Angel Tree program has provided gifts for more than 1,000 children across Shelby and Chilton counties.

Donors range from individuals, to corporate groups, to even school groups.

Rufus McDowell also spoke about the annual Red Kettle campaign, which is the largest donation contribution each year for the Salvation Army.

“The kettles will be out beginning Thanksgiving Day, and those help our organization so much,” Rufus McDowell said.

The McDowells said they are hoping for volunteers from the community to help with upcoming projects such as The Angel Tree, and look forward to meeting people within the community.

The group is hoping to be able to have an office opened in Chilton County in the future to facilitate the needs of those living nearby.

For more information about the Salvation Army, visit www.salavationarmyusa.org.

For specific information related to Shelby and Chilton counties, call (205) 663-7105.