Salvation Army moves its Burbank operations to Glendale
Those who depend on the Burbank Corps of the Salvation Army will have to travel to Glendale, for the time being, to receive the assistance and services they need.
For about the past six weeks, the Burbank Corps has been operating out of the Salvation Army’s Glendale Corps facility at 320 W. Windsor Road until a new location in Burbank can be found.
For the record:
12:45 p.m. Oct. 28, 2019The property that the Burbank Salvation Army facility is on is zoned for commercial limited business. It was originally stated that the property was zoned for residential.
Capt. Kelly Berggren, who now heads both the Burbank and Glendale corps, said the Salvation Army has not abandoned Burbank but is rather just moving out of the nonprofit’s facility at 300 E. Angeleno Ave.
He added that it was an unfortunate decision that needed to be made in order to better help those in Burbank in the future.
“We’re working closely with the city on different property locations,” Berggren said.
The long-term goal is to open what the Salvation Army calls an access center that will have various amenities — showers, washers and dryers, and a pantry — to better address the community’s needs.
“We just can’t do it at our present location,” Berggren said.
Robert Brennan, director of communications for the California South Division of the Salvation Army, said the current Burbank site is in the process of being sold and that Berggren and city officials have been working together to find a different location for a new facility.
Berggren added that the current Burbank site may close as soon as the end of the year.
“This is a temporary fix,” Brennan said. “It’s about keeping the lights on and finding a way to make sure that we’re temporarily leaving Burbank.”
Brennan added that the new center will have all the current services, plus new amenities, but those who went to the Burbank location for church services will for now either have to go to the Glendale site or another church.
Although the Salvation Army will not have a physical presence in Burbank for the coming months, Berggren said other nonprofits are helping the organization serve those in need and get a new facility up and running.
“I’ve been really surprised by the city’s efforts, and they’ve been so supportive,” he said.
