The Salvation Army USA
reviews and complaints

There is this manager or supervisor named Stephanie at the Sarasota store who shops for herself or family members on company time and also changes prices. She brings boxes with shoes and purses on the floor and she rummages thru them and picks the things she likes or offers them to only certain customers. Also, if items come in the store with a low price she changes them for higher prices and they also do the same thing at checkout if they feel that an item was priced too low. I find this unacceptable and unprofessional.

I was dismissed from the shelter because another resident said I was allegedly recording on my lap top. First of all, I do not need anyone knowing I'm in a shelter. Second, none of them women are even interesting enough to record (no offense). Third, that is invasion of privacy; if I don't want people to know I'm in a shelter I know others don't too. I have no reason to record any of those women in there. They went off her word and dismissed me. Prior to today I was accused of lying about what I do for work. I emailed them and kindly let them know I didn't appreciate being called a liar. I find it every convenient they dismissed me after I stood up for myself. I really believe today's dismissal was to put me "in my place." I'm an intelligent black women and definitely can read between the lines. They are very condescending with homeless people. This is my first time I've ever been in a shelter and I will never go to a shelter again. People don't want to help. They want to look down on you. I want a call immediately regarding this issue.

Date of purchase: 4/19/19
my contact information
Louisette [protected]
louisette. [protected]@gmail.com
I just moved out of a domestic violence shelter and spent over $400 in furniture and other things at the local salvation army to furnish my apartment.
I bought a sterling silver set for $75 but when I got home I did some research on the company and I realized it was not sterling silver so I returned it the very next day with receipt, I also purchased a sewing machine which I was guaranteed was tested and worked but does not work, the pin where the thread spins from is not there so cannot even thread it... I do not have a vehicle to return the sewing machine but the silver set was returned the very next day as soon as I found out the company made silver plated, I did not want silver plated for $75. I paid that much because I thought it was actual silver, not plated.
I was informed no cash refund was available even though I was misinformed about the products I was trying to return and I had all my receipts, brought it back within several hours of purchase, as soon as I realized it was falsely advertised as sterling silver.
I was issued a $75 store credit on condition that I had to use it all at once, I could not split the credit to purchase different things at different times till my credit was used up. At this point my apartment is all furnished, all I need is a TV now.

I have been going to the store since April at least once a week to find an opportunity to use my $75 credit but... I cannot purchase $75 in clothing. My little 2year old and I still do not have a TV.

I also purchased a sewing machine which I was guaranteed was tested and worked well but when I got home, it is not functional I even bought fabric and patterns to make baby boy some clothes. There is no way to thread it as the pin on which the thread sits is not there. I do not have a vehicle, it took me days to find help moving, and getting all my furniture from the store. I have not returned this sewing machine yet because I have no way of getting it there but it is taking up space, I cannot afford to repair it, I was told it worked, I have no need for a decorative sewing machine. You would think if you spent close to $500 you should be able to get some kind of refund for any item that was falsely advertised, which is the only reason why I returned anything at all. Both items I returned were misrepresented at the time of purchase, I am pretty happy with everything else I got.

I have waited for 2 months, I am a stay at home mom, victim of domestic violence, I am not rich, I am unemployed right now and cannot just let them hold on to my money. I need that to get my son a Tv so please, help me out. Pretty please. The assistant manager, Cynthia was very helpful, she is amazing, I love her, great customer service.
The actual store manager is mean, she is not very compassionate, did not show any empathy towards my situation or make any effort to assist me after I spent all that money, who wants to pay money for something that does not work only to be told the next day you cannot get a refund even though it is not my fault that I was misinformed at the time of purchase. She is not making any effort to help me at all. If the assistant was not there I would not have spent all t hat money there.

I am sending copies of receipts of all the things I purchased and pictures of the broken sewing machine. The silver ware set I returned to the store already so I do not have that in my possession.

I would love a refund please, Thank you very much for your time.

I would really appreciate a full refund, I still have all my receipts. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Louisette Toh
[protected]
louisette. [protected]@gmail.com

I submitted a request for furniture pick up tothe Salvation Army on June 18 of 2019, here in Savannah, Ga. The document stated to call them if no responds to my online request. well, guess what, no one resonded to my online request, after waiting 2 days!
So I decided to call them directly, and after about 5 mins. on the phone options, I got someones voicemail, unfortunately, I could not understand the name in the recording, but I left my name phone number and what I had to donate. Well here it is June 26, and no one has contacted me! I must say this is not the Salvation Army I am familiar with, where is the care, where is the compassion? I'm pretty sure someone would be very happy to have the furniture pieces I wanted to donate, but at this point, I guess they will remain in my garage. Don't worry Salvation, Army, I wont be trying to contact you for anything, and don't look for me to shop in your stores either. DCurry Savannah GA [protected]

I was in the Whipple Ave. store in Canton, Ohio today. There were two signs in the front window that read 75% off Zara merchandise. The cashier said that Zara merchandise was 50% off. I told her the signs in the window read 75% off, she called the manager who refused to honor signs. I feel the posted signs should have been honored.
Linda Swogger
[protected]@aol.com

On vacation in IL we stopped at your store in Decatur at 2901 Water Street on 5/29/19. Carla checked us out with attitude. It was Senior Day but she quickly told me because mine and daughters things were on sale I did NOT qualify for Senior Discount. I find NO store policy that says "for certain items only". Also Before checking out my son in law asked to see some work boots in a glass section beside her? She said get out of line, wait over there, she refused to show us or set them up and yelled for someone to come to that counter. That would have been a $30 added sale? Then for some reason she made me pay twice (I had 2 full baskets) and still refused the discount. $51.82 total I paid for rude service. If my daughter wasn't with me and setting up a new home I would have Left everything there and walked. Honestly I would like this lady fired/dismissed. If you don't want to work with customers work in the back pricing items. Stay away from the puplic! She cost me $13 and a lot of patience. I asked for a manager and was refused, Now she's upset other customers so I paid. Who gave her the right to say Only certain Seniors get discounts & No manager service? Actually if I requested Carla to pay my total amount maybe she wouldn't be so quick to be rude. Please resolve for me.
[protected]@comcast.net (email)

I went to the S.A. in Hadley MA tonight to shop. The hours were posted that the store was open until 9:00 pm. I got there at 7:30, spent 15 minutes picking out clothes and then was told that the dressing rooms had closed at 7:00. If I was able to return clothes and get money back I would have been okay with this, but I am not going to buy clothes if I can't try them on OR return them.
I asked to speak to the manager. She told me that; 1. I should have called first(!) When a store says that it will be open till 9:00 I assume I'll be able to use the dressing room until at least 8:45. I shouldn't have to call a store ahead of time to make sure the dressing rooms are open! 2. Then she said she closed them early because the customers are such slobs (excuse me, I'm a customer, not a slob thank you, and standing right here), she is understaffed and doesn't want her staff to have to stay until 11:00 cleaning up. So I asked her if I could have a written note allowing me to return the clothes if they didn't fit at which point she basically lied to me by saying I could bring things back and come see her and she would see what she could do, but I should make sure that the things I buy are in my size (as if I wouldn't do that anyway?!). The reason I'm saying she lied is that when I asked her for a written note allowing me to return things she very rudely stalked off without answering me and simply pretended I no longer existed.
So perhaps this manager is understaffed, but if she is going to close the dressing rooms 2 hours before closing time and be unwilling to interact with customers who are trying to buy clothes then at the very least the store needs to have a sign RIGHT OUT FRONT that says "dressing rooms closed for the night" so that customers don't waste their time picking out clothes that they won't be able to try on. Even better would be if the website said "dressing rooms close at 7:00" so that customers like me don't waste time and gas driving to the store.
Also, clearly this manager's rude treatment of a customer was unacceptable.

I went into the local salvation Army in Fredericksburg virginia and applied for utility assistance due to be laid off from my job. I went to this location because it is the location that i donate too and have donated lots of furniture to. Well at this time I am set up with a social worker named Erica. she pays a smaller amount then the amout that has to be paid to stop disconnect after I pay the portion in full that she has me pay, and after her telling me an amount that they are pledging. She later that day states that dominion tells her that my payment from the previous month is carrying over and going to be used towards the current bill. What sense this would make to anyone with half a brain I dont know but I have been paying utility bills 30 years and never had them carry a payment over that has already applied. The day then comes for my utilities to be disconnected after me now trying to reach her for 6 days without a call back which is what she asks me to do once I speak with the utility company. They were even laughing at the fact that this lady really even though money would carry over.
Fast forward to me reaching her finally and now I hear how the pledge isnt guaranteed and on a case by case bases which means nothing for me when youve already quoted to me what could be paid. Im now the one being baligerant and she is the victim because I am restating to her what was said and what she asked me to do while wondering if my four kids will have electric tomorrow. She then persists to tell me she is leaving in three minutes so she needs to call instead of going back and forth with me. No she needed to call the day she told me she would and since when is stating to someone what they said to you and what your utility company is saying, which is what she asked me to do going back and forth. After that she will call me back so that I am aware of what is going on which of course never happened. I am so sure these people sit on their high horses judging everyones else's life while keeping donations for themselves. Otherwise why are you treated like the money is straight from their pockets. In my line of business the day is over when the customers are taken care of. Not for these people and instead of apologizing for her own mistakes she now makes me out to be the one causing her an issue. As much as I've donated here to begin with its enough for three years worth of assistance. God forbid I'm the one needing help now. Thanks to her, and the unprofessionalism of everyone there minus the receptionist Barbara who was very nice, I will no longer be donating here ever again as well as I will make aware whoever it is that needs to know exactly what happens here and how they treat people already going through hard times. Like anyone wants to have to come and get the garbage they call food from them to feed their families yet you go home to whatever that is fine not giving a second thought to those in need. May she be treated exactly as she treats others. There will definately become a time that you will need some help. We all do at some point.

My wife and I have been going to the salvation army, in pontotoc miss, at 303 west reyonalds street. Number [protected]. Iam jerry lane hellums. Thay have been cruel and bed talking about her and me too. We have spend oh about maybe at 500 dollars or more in the last year. And even donted clothes also. The women who work there are julia, page and kay. I don. T know the other ladies names. I have had enough the way she has been treated, my wife, and never caused any trouble of any way. These empleers have done nothing but bad mouth her and dragging her down.

Truck pulled in front of house. Driver peeling irange and throwing peels on road in front of house 10399 67 ave north. Seminole fl 33772 He did eventually pick them up, but only after I took his picture and plate number and told him i was going to report him. He said im not in front of your house, which he was and shouldnt make a difference anyway. See pictures below

Being homosexual and black in the salvation army Sacramento was not an easy task I was verbally abuse multiple time the person who showed me his gentiles on multiple occasions always try to sex play me got me kicked out because he did not want me to use the only single shower there was available. I told him I felt uncomfortable using the other bathroom and he said I need to get over. He complained I was making noise to wake him up intentionally how ever he was the only one who claimed he could here me in the shower he cursed me out in front of staff before and my last morning there in church cursed me out as well. Cody then approached me at my work station and apologies for what what he said it's him not me on camera as well and hugs me a month prior to this I cried out in a meeting about some of the things that were being said and have been done to me he apologized then and said quote "I guess we know your breaking point! Well ten mins later after he hugs me I'm in the program directors off he tells me to give him I'd badge and state I know why I'm in here two other men where in the room one I thought we were cool he told me if I ever need someone to talk to he would the other I have no relation barely speak with said I have sexually assault and harassed them and about three other people Cody said I asked to give him head in the shower I didn't get to even speak on my behalf no investigation was done I was just told to leave after 129 days in the program I didn't even see the write up until. Court James showed of poor Behavior which was detrimental to his program and other beneficiaries. Witch could mean anything . Then I went to Stockton salvation army for 40days and went to court and was taken to jail because they never sent the paperwork to Probation or courts this has happened more than just me it is almost impossible to make a free call. So I go to jail they were contacted told situation and court got the information they said I could come back and I my program was terminated but rule 23 says you have 30 days if sick or having issues to take care of it and beneficiaries got two pass for wife's to amputation. Mister James believed he would be able to get my program back but the Ms Major said I had not intention of staying anyways so she said no the day before court I asked if I could go to the retreat and she said yes I added myself to list I told her just in case someone didn't make she said that's fine I was so excited I told the court my PO judge about it too. So I dont know why she said I didn't want to stay but someone told her that and she believed wouldn't even let me speak to her but she loves me yeah right I left because I'm being punished for things I have no control of and there is nothing I can say or do to stop it I'm tired of having no voice

I was currently an employee at the Salvation Army on 1009 Dauphin street Mobile Al. My supervisor suspended me due to billing errors that occurred for the month of February and March. She stated that I caused the company to lose the contract with the Federal Program, which is not true. I also wrote a rebuttal letter stating the mistreatment of my supervisor and her unprofessionalism. She walks around and gloat in regard to my termination that I'm not aware of and already filled my position. She never properly trained me and never sat me down with me in regards to my errors. I even asked her if I did anything wrong to let me know. I also mention to her that I suffer from health problems due to her mistreatment. I realize at the Salvation Army that no one has your back. A colleague and I went to her supervisor on 04/08/2019 to complain about her behavior and her bullying, her supervisor even stated that she doesn't understand why she is so prejudiced. In the meantime, I was also told that I would be notified from HR if I am terminated by 05/07/2019 and I still haven't heard anything. I received a call from my colleagues on 05/8/2019 stating that it was discussed in the meeting that I was terminated and others are in process. I haven't spoken to anyone yet and wanted some advice due to this incident. Please call Karen West [protected].Thanks

I had 2 individuals come out today to pick up a mattress/box spring, bed and dining set. I realized shortly before they arrived the dining set contained a scratch larger than I thought it had- so they didn't take it. I understood why - no big deal. However, they also REFUSED to take a mattress and boxspring that had been used maybe twice becasue the color of the mattress and box spring did not 100% match. The box spring was a light blue and the mattress was a darker blue. There were no stains on either item. I find it hard to believe that a person who is buying a used mattress at a thirft store cares if items in almost new condition aren't exactly the same color - especially when you put sheets on it. Furthermore, the salvation army website does not say anything about requiring the mattress and box spring to match.

This is the second time the Salvation Army has come out to stick up their noses at donated furniture for little to no reason. And I've had to call and pay someone else to pick it up. I understand they can't take things that are blatantly damaged but refusing to take something in great condition because it doesn't match or refusing to take something that needs to be cleaned a little - is stupid. (Note I would expect them to be cleaning furniture in general before putting it on the show room floor anyway). After these experiences, I've concluded that the salvation army is the most stuck up charity I've ever interacted with. I am NEVER donating furniture to this organization again and I will NEVER give money to your bell ringers either.

I stayed at one of your facilities in Orlando Florida. Me and my children where in one building, the children's father in another. Instead of seeing us as a family the treated us a individuals and expected us to complete our individual programs with the expectation of receiving 10dollors a day from us. Me 30%or ten dollars a day which ever was the least. I had 30days to enroll my children in school and find employment or I would be treminated from the program. And although I had a child with special needs, we received no accommodations, infact his medical information and his IEP was never reveiwed by staff, case managers or shelter lead. I had issues with School enrollment, I had issues with child care still in order to stay I had to have employment within 30days. Due to extreme noise my child was triggered my sound which would case him to run, I was written up for it and told if that contiues I would gave to leave. My roommate verbally abused and mistreated my children I was basically told to put up or shut up. This particular shelter allowed other women who stayed at the facility to watch your children, and once I received my job and began training the shelter supervisor (wjom did not put it in writing) decided that allowing other Poeple on the property to watch your children would no longer be an option for any of the residents, I lost my job. In the mist of this all they where still allowing adults staying the shelter to watch other Poeple kids. Dome children 12and under where watching thier siblings, staff new about it and looked the other way. The treatment that I received at this Orlando facility was more then unfair and sure wasn't Godly. Poeple stop by the shelter with loads of donations non of which makes it to the homeless staying their, the are 1st distributed to staff members and anything else of good quality is sent to thier local theift stores. I think if this how your organization operates then it's very misleading, because your mission statement and what is being done is the total opposite. And I think that before someone donates to your organization they should have a very CLEAR understanding of what kind of organization thier donating ( I just going by what I experienced). Mistreatment, discrimination, abuse, stealing and living is not Christ like. I've had many Poeple tell me how great the salvation army is, frankly in my shelter experience I did not see that. Enclosing I was told by my case manager that my children special needs bus could continue at the shelter location, last week my car broke down and I was arriving Kate to pick up my children, the driver dropped the children off with out my consent and broke proto call and the social services worker theatend me with child protective services, when I had addressed my experience at that facility with her and the children watching children, or the like change which only seemed to apply to me, she did not seem to care. Infact two days later cpi was at my door with her complaint. And now me and my family are being investigated. I would request that this matter be looked into as I have documentation regarding the I'll poor service and discrimination I faced at this location, and as I'm being investigated I would hope that they are as well.

Hello I am currently homeless with a 7 month old baby staying in my car. I went to the Salvation Army in Gwinnett and the representative that helped treated me very bad. She was talking down to me and telling me what I need to do with my child's father and not listening to my needs. She also mentioned to me that the Salvation Army wasn't there to pick up the slack of her father. She granted us 3 nights at a roach infested hotel and told me good luck after that. I cried from sadness after speaking to her and still need help.

I have been shopping and donating to Salvation army for over six years. All of my donations go to Salvation army over any other organization. About a year ago or so I had my first racial encounter at the store on 15 mile and Gratiot in Clinton Township. My best friend and I were shopping in the kids department when the lady began following us through the department giving us a hard time for supposedly not putting a few items back where they belong. This woman as an African-American lady about 5'2 with braids weeks later he came into the store with my friends daughter shopping in the kids department the same woman proceeded to follow us around the kids department she actually at one point shoved my friend out of her way. I have made two complaints with the general manager of this location I watch fell on deaf ears. Not only was nothing done about it but now every time I come into the store she will go and have someone follow me around the store harassing me while I'm shopping. After my first time I was told I would get a call back I never received one. In fact I have been treated worse. I have also been shopping at the saint Shores location I have been applying there for over six months recently I had a short five minute interview after continuing to be persistent with the manager I am absolutely qualified and most times while I'm in the store the customers will ask me questions because they believe I know enough or appear to know enough to work there. I have seen now five black managers within the past six months the hiring sign still hangs and not only from my own eyes but from an inside source only black African-American men and women have been hired into these positions. In fact I think I can count on one hand how many white people are given opportunities to work for your nonprofit organization. Recently I was going through some very hard times and I miss calculated how much my items would cost which I believe they pick and choose their discounts because this would not be the first time someone openly admitted to overcharging me and did nothing to compensate for it. Yesterday I went to check out and the manager started telling me how much of a problem he had with me I asked him how long he had work for Salvation army he told me five years I find that hard to believe I have not only been doing all of my shopping pretty much for the past 5 to 6 years there but I am religiously donating to your organization. It is very obvious that there is a serious racial issue with in your organization I am making a complaint hoping that this can somehow be resolved before I have to take it to the next level I have documented times that I have reached out to upper management and been completely ignored or harassed even worse I want something to be done about how white women are being treated. I was in the store yesterday trying to get some things for my daughter‘s Easter basket because we had just lost our home and instead I was told and shown how much of a problem he thinks I am . I spend at least anywhere from three to $500 a month in your store if not more when my times were better. If I do not hear back from somebody I am going to take this somewhere where my voice can be heard and I am going to expose the reality of what is going on in your organization. I am not going to continue to beg somebody to hear how I am being treated by your workers and your organization