COVER STORY 29 february 2026 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South florida edition - y e t s t e - o - - o n t - e - y - - e - , f t s d y f f e , g r families that depend on donations and grants to operate a more than $1 million budget each year to cover the costs and try to help get families into permanent housing after one or two years. We also run a shelter with almost 200 beds, feeding them, clothing them, showering them, and hiring case workers that help them find a job, find a place to live; it’s a big process.” Supported by community pillars “The presence of the Salvation Army is, I think, one of the unrecognized and noble heroes of Fort Lauderdale's development,” said Curt Nichols, a Fort Lauderdale native, former senior vice president at City Furniture and executive consultant who currently serves as chairman of The Salvation Army Advisory Board. “I'm looking out my window counting eight towers and four different cranes going up downtown. You can’t build - none of that happens without the Salvation Army helping those that are homeless get out from in front of those buildings, away from the valet stand, away from the restaurant, the bar. If these neighbors of ours - the homeless - did not have the Salvation Army, that's where they would be camped out, looking and soliciting for money. And trust me, the vacancy of those towers goes up if there's not a Salvation Army.” Area commanders typically rotate every 3 to 8 years; however, the Advisory Board is the constant in Broward County, led by the Army's traditions, processes and policies that have helped sustain it. “Some of the titans and pillars of our history in Broward County and Fort Lauderdale were the original builders of this board,” said Nichols. “Now myself and others are only trying to push this on to the next generation.” Nichols pointed to a long line of civic and business leaders whose involvement helped shape the organization alongside the growth of Fort Lauderdale, names likes Mike Jackson, and Gail Butler, of AutoNation, and Steve Halmos, along with a number of families and foundations that have been friends of the Salvation Army over the years. Earliest among them was Ivy Stranahan, a pioneering suffragist and early advocate for the Seminole Tribe, who served as vice chair of the Salvation Army Advisory Board in the 1930s. Stranahan was known for providing food, clothing and emergency aid during times of hardship, including the aftermath of the Great Miami Hurricane. Nichols mentioned H. Wayne Huizenga, the entrepreneur behind Waste Management, Blockbuster Video and AutoNation, whose family foundation funded the Corps Community Center that bears the family name on Broward Boulevard. Other key figures include Theodore “Ted” Friedt, a businessman and philanthropist who was instrumental in raising funds for the Salvation Army’s headquarters; and Elliott Barnett, a leading attorney and arts patron, who played central roles.in the 1980s. Nichols praised the organization’s operational discipline, noting that its efficiency and standard operating procedures rival those of top-performing for-profit companies. I’ve sat on five to seven other local and statewide boards,” he said. “None of them operate at the level the Salvation Army does. Their ability to maximize every dollar is best in class.” A historical perspective Former area commander Lt. Col. William Crabson, who served in Broward from 1981 to 1988 spearheading the capital campaign for the current administration building and later led the Salvation Army College in Atlanta, offered a broader historical perspective on why the organization has endured. “Everything you see was paid for by people who would never use the services themselves,” Crabson said. “No matter their church affiliation or business background, they gave generously because they believed in helping others. That speaks volumes about the generosity of this community, the compassion of the people who live here and its widespread faith community.” Reflecting on changes over the decades, Crabson said the scale and complexity of need has grown dramatically. “The rate of addiction issues has multiplied many times over,” he said. “That creates a cascade of mental health challenges, so serving people who live on the edge today is far more complex than it was 40 years ago.” Crabson also pointed to the quality of leadership as a key reason the Salvation Army has lasted 100 years. “People like Major Juan Guadalupe, and other officers, Capt. Pierre, and Major David Sams, who is in charge of the huge drug recovery program supported by our family stores – these people are highly dedicated, committed, compassionate Christians whose ministry is in the Salvation Army. We're fortunate that God has brought them here,” said. Lt. Col. Crabson. Future plans Looking ahead, the Salvation Army of Broward plans to strengthen donor development and endowments to reduce reliance on government funding, expand shelter and transitional housing capacity and hopes to launch a telehealth medical clinic for aging and medically vulnerable clients. “We’ve never had a population experiencing homelessness that has been so aged and suffering from disabilities and medical issues like we do today,” said Guadalupe. Telehealth would allow clients to connect directly with doctors for diagnoses and prescriptions without unnecessary emergency room visits, but the program’s future depends on partnerships. “The provider side is the linchpin — how much support we can get from the medical community. That’s what will determine how far we can take this.” As they honor those who came before and paved the way, Guadalupe said. “We also have a responsibility to make sure the Salvation Army remains strong, relevant and ready to serve this community for the next 100 years.” Celebrations The 100th Anniversary Festivities will be held in May during National Salvation Army Week, beginning with a concert on Friday, May 15 featuring the Salvation Army Brass Band. A Centennial Celebration Banquet will be held on Saturday, May 16th at the Corps Community Center, featuring keynote speaker Lt. Col. William Crabson, who served as area commander from 1981 to 1988 and launched the building. And Ron Busroe, former area commander, will be preaching during a special Sunday morning service. n 1926 – Salvation Army operations launch in Fort Lauderdale, in February, under the leadership of Captains Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Wycoff from Miami. The first structure was a large tent pitched at the corner of SW 2nd Street & SW 2nd Ave. The Great Miami Hurricane struck the region in September, destroying the tent, piano and benches, along with most buildings in Broward, killing dozens and rendering many homeless. Salvation Army personnel rolled up their sleeves and began helping feed, clothe and house the destitute. Throughout the storm clean-up and the late 20’s, they based out of different locations in Hollywood and then back in a hotel space on Brickell Avenue in Fort Lauderdale before securing a permanent structure at 21 SW First Ave. The Hurricane, regional land bust, and the Great Depression unleashed in 1929 reinforced the timeliness and deep value of The Salvation Army’s efforts in Broward. Founding board members included Mayor R.G. Snow, Roy McJunkin, Ivy Stranahan and other Broward pioneers. 1931 – Community comes together, via local Trade Union, to expand and erect the building on 1st Ave. 1950 – Welfare Center purchased and put into operation on Old Dixie Highway. 1956 – Corps Community Center (‘Citadel’) for worship and community service constructed at newly purchased property at 9th Ave. SW and Broward Blvd. (site of current Corps Community Center). 1965 – Rehab Center opens on Broward Blvd near the 95, eventually named Adult Rehabilitation Center. 1967 – Shelter space, soup kitchen and Area Command offices opened on Broward & 14th. 1984 – Expanded outreach in Hollywood leading to The Home Front shelter for runaway teenage girls. 1990 – Greatly expanded shelter & Area Command constructed at present location: 1445 W. Broward. 1993 – With anonymous seed donation of $1m, Plymouth Colony transitional housing for families commences in Hollywood, housing 32 families for 12-24 month intensive case management program. 2003 – New Corps Community Center constructed over former site, three times the size of former facility, including state-of-the-art gymnasium. 2014 – Open Door Shelter – a low-barrier, low-threshold shelter space opens as addition at Area Command, housing an extra 38 individuals, nightly, and becoming a strategic portal into other services. 2024-25– First two Red Shield Regatta single-event fundraisers, hosted and underwritten by JM Family Enterprises, Inc. in Deerfield Beach, enabling The Salvation Army to net over $200k each year. 2026 – Centennial year plans underway to expand the Open Door Shelter by 49 additional beds. The Salvation Army of Broward County: Centennial Timeline Curt Nichols I’ve sat on five to seven other local and statewide boards. None of them operate at the level the Salvation Army does. Their ability to maximize every dollar is best in class. - Curt Nichols ” “
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