Our Vision
CARI leverages the capacity, resources, and practical expertise of the world’s premier nonprofit —The Salvation Army—to help others think bigger and accomplish more.
The work of CARI is being enhanced by a brand new $15 million facility coming soon to the Center of Hope campus in Anaheim, California. So, expect a new season of enterprise-level solutions to the most intractable problems of today. Solutions driven by the Salvation Army’s unparalleled commitment to the service of others. Solutions forged from the fire of an advancing international movement that continues to touch, challenge, and change our world.
CARI's Vision
To ask the Spirit of God to revolutionize our thinking lives, resulting in creative, innovative, scalable solutions and social program initiatives that will impact our nation and change our world. Standing on the shoulders of over 150 years of Salvation Army service and sacrifice, CARI will help lead the charge and run to the fight against homelessness, drug addiction, poverty, social isolation, and personal trauma in the 21st Century. Along the way, CARI will collaborate with and inspire social practitioners, community policy makers, and national and international thought leaders at the highest levels.
How does CARI Work?
Direct engagement with community thought leaders and policy makers shape CARI’s research focus and direction. CARI’s strategic placement at the Center of Hope – one of the nation’s premier homeless services and substance use disorder treatment campuses – gives it unparalleled program data through a comprehensive system feedback loop.
CARI’s social scientists conduct research and program design across three distinct teams:
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Our Research Team conducts program impact evaluations; implementation assessments (process and diagnostic evaluations); and exploratory, community-based research. Drawing upon state-of-the-art innovation design tools, the Research Team explores “What is?”, “What if?”, “What wows?”, and “What works?”
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Our Special Projects Team focuses on concept development, new program prototyping and new program implementation. This team assembles various innovative design elements into a coherent solution that can be explored, evaluated and implemented. This team also takes the lead on the initial launch of new CARI program initiatives.
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Our Data Analytics Team focuses on program quality assurance, program fidelity, data tracking and data analysis.
CARI is also a “collaboration hub” for social science research and innovation. Thought leaders from across the community serve on Specialized Task Forces which champion specific areas of ongoing research and program development, including Homelessness, Substance Use Disorder Recovery, Artificial Intelligence and Social Isolation.
WORKING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
Drawing upon state-of-the-art innovation design tools - such as Columbia University’s Designing for Growth –
CARI explores “What is?”, “What if?”, “What wows?” and “What works?”
Visualization
using imagery to
envision possibilities and bring them to life
expressing a new concept in a tangible form for exploration, testing and refinement
Rapid Prototyping
assessing the current value chain the supports program delivery
Value Chain Analysis
generating insights
from exploration activities and using those to create design criteria
Mind Mapping
Brainstorming
generating new possibilities and new alternative business models
creating an
affordable experiment that lets customers experience the new solution over an extended period, to test key assumptions with market data
Learning Launch
generating insights
from exploration activities and using those to create
design criteria
Client
Co-Creation
isolating and testing key assumptions that will drive the success or failure of a concept
Assumption Testing
assessing the existing experience through a client’s eyes
Journey
Mapping
assembling innovative elements into a coherent alternative solution that can be explored and evaluated
Concept Development
CARI is a working
social science research center
CARI
is building a collaborative community
CARI is building a collaborative community of social entrepreneurs and creative luminaries, inspiring them and empowering them to succeed in the quest for transformational ideas. CARI leverages the capacity, resources, and practical expertise of the world’s premier nonprofit – The Salvation Army – to help others think bigger and accomplish more.
CARI is a “solutions hub” that cultivates enterprise-scale solutions to the defining social challenges of our day. The Big Ones. Ending chronic homelessness. Eradicating social isolation. Building healthy relationships to end community violence. Ensuring long and productive lives. Harnessing technology for social good. Reducing extreme economic inequality. Creating positive responses to a changing environment. The list goes on.
The challenge is great. The opportunities are extraordinary.