The Salvation Army of Jefferson City welcomed Lts. Rachel and Christopher White as the new leadership for the shelter and corps community offices.
The two met in 2006 at Camp Wonderland in Wisconsin and were married in 2013. Christopher is 27 and Rachel is 22. They hope to be in leadership positions at the Salvation Army Jefferson City Corps Community Center for the foreseeable future, Christopher said.
"You never know how long that could be. There is no set time limit," Christopher said.
He added they would probably be at the city offices for five to seven years, but they could also be asked to move tomorrow. Rachel then said or they could be there for up to 11 years as well.
Christopher is originally from Farnborough, Hampshire in the United Kingdom. He has been an officer for a little more than a year and was commissioned as the assistant corps officer to the oldest Salvation Army facility in Chicago, the Chicago Temple Corps Community Center. His previous experience includes working as a youth minster and pastor in Illinois.
"All those experiences helped me see there is a great human need across all ages," Christopher said. "The Salvation Army tries to meet that need whatever it is. So if it is mental, physical and spiritual, I want to be a part of helping meet that need in this community."
Rachel was born and raised in Rockford, Ill. She originally attended the Nazarene church, but her family began attending The Salvation Army church in 2002.
"When I was about 10 years old my parents were looking for a new church, and I remember the first week I went to the Salvation Army church," Rachel said. "As soon as we walked in, everyone was excited to see us, and they were very loving. And at the other churches, they didn't even notice we were there. I have always loved the Salvation Army churches. ... It is not just about saving souls, it is about physically helping people, too."
While working in Rockford, she was the house manager at The Salvation Army's Women's Restorative Justice Program. She worked with women who had problems with alcohol and drug abuse and considered herself privileged to help those women restore their lives and families, according to her biography with the Salvation Army.
Before the move, the couple spent a little vacation time in the city with Rachel's brother who lives here. Other than that and the three weeks they have been working here, they are new to the area.
The two recently attended a meeting to decide how to use the $22,000 United Way grant to improve the army's homeless shelter's kitchen. Their other goals are to increase the revenue from the Christmas Kettles program and to continue to help the community through the Salvation Army's thrift store and shelter.
"Another one of our goals is being present in and throughout the community," Christopher said. "The Salvation Army already has a historic presence in the city with the thrift store and the shelter."