Our Story
The Salvation Army has had our flag placed on the moon. We have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. We were recognized by Oxford University as one of the most enduring international brands of the 20th Century, alongside the Olympics, Coca-Cola, and the Rolling Stones. We have become part of the cultural zeitgeist for many, including the inspiration behind songs like “Silver Bells” and “Strawberry Fields Forever” as well as the iconic phrase, “Back on the Wagon.”
Over 150 years of extraordinary impact. Serving in over 130 nations around the world. And, we are still making history.
Introducing the “first-in-the-world” Salvation Army Center for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI).
The Salvation Army’s Center for Applied Research and Innovation was established in 2022 by Dr. Ben Hurst, Major Nesan Kistan, and the collective leadership teams of the Salvation Army in Orange County, the Southern California Division, and the US Western Territory. CARI is the crowning initiative of the 14-acre Center of Hope campus in Anaheim, California. It is also the “creative engine” that drives the development and implementation of the Salvation Army’s Homeless Throughput System.
CARI is unique. It combines the field expertise and program scaling strength of one of the world’s largest social service organizations – The Salvation Army – with world-class, university level social science research, enhanced by real-time field data feedback loops and animated by the timeless values of The Salvation Army’s Christian mission. The result is a working social science research and program design center dedicated to large-scale solutions to our greatest social problems. Distinct from many university research centers, these new solutions are energized by faith in the transforming power of God’s hope and love.
Meet The Team
Dr. Ben Hurst
Managing Director
Shannon Lamb
Director of Special Projects
Alex Grosse
Communications Assistant and Media Coordinator
Major Ken Perine
Executive Director and Senior Officer of The Salvation Army Orange County