Salvation Army hosts Juneteenth celebration

Roanoke, Virginia – In honor of Juneteenth, the Salvation Army in Roanoke hosted a celebration to bring together the community.

Social Services Manager Jaimiee Goodman stated, “We’re just celebrating people from all walks of life coming together to share a meal, share moments, have some fun, play some games, and get connected with resources in the community.” “I want to do something that will unite the community so that we can all get together, set aside our differences for a day, and just celebrate our differences.”

Juneteenth is a day when freedom finally came in 1865 to enslaved African Americans in Texas, 2 1/2 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Goodman said this holiday encourages people to uplift one another and for her, that means helping people access life-saving resources.

“People can connect with our mental health services here, just as they can connect with food resources and understand what the Salvation Army can offer in terms of food insecurity and other related issues,” Goodman stated.

She said they were able to serve over 150 hot meal plates.

“Times are hard for people. So simply, you know, getting a hot meal is kind of hard. So it kind of encompasses all of that, and, you know, fellowshipping, embracing being different,” added Goodman.