There is an expression in The Salvation Army about “making a joyful noise”. While that term originally refers to making music during church services, it is also a daily reality at the Army’s Weston Corps in Winnipeg. Every weekday there is a lot of joyful noise from the 59 kids who attend the Weston Child Care Centre, located in the church. And while silence is rare, the Centre features an abundance of energy, excitement, fun and caring.

Since 1982 the government-funded daycare has operated in the Army church, using all parts of the building including the sanctuary, which sometimes doubles as a gym. A staff of 14 cares for pre-school aged children, allowing their parents to work outside of the home. Having a local, neighbourhood daycare is particularly important in Weston because the reality of a working class community is that parents don’t have the time, or the means, to drive around other areas of the city, dropping off their kids and picking them up again. “We cater to the population of Weston where there’s not a lot of money and where people don’t have the option to pick and choose,” says Major Karen Hoeft, the pastor of the Army church where the daycare is located. “The working poor need a good quality facility where people care about kids.”

The stability of the Centre is also important. Although the daycare is government-funded the Army contributes a solid asset - the building. “It’s not rented and that brings stability,” says Hoeft. “We’re not at the whim of a landlord.” Next year the Centre celebrates a quarter-century of service. In fact, some of the current staff attended the Weston Child Care Centre when they were children themselves. It’s become a place where generations are raised.

“The Salvation Army looks at all the pieces that build health and this is one of the pieces,” adds Hoeft. “We’re part of the community and becoming part of a community is part of Salvation Army ministry.”