Salvation Army Seattle Closure Means 120 Fewer Rehab Beds

SEATTLE, WA — The Salvation Army will close its retail store and Adult Rehabilitation Center in Sodo by the end of September, removing 120 drug and alcohol rehab beds and 58 jobs.

The nonprofit is ending operations at a complex of buildings along 4th Avenue because the property has been up for sale since August 2018. A spokeswoman said that the "time is right to transition" programs out of those buildings, although the buildings have not been sold yet.

The Salvation Army will continue the rehab operation at a reduced capacity at another building in North King County. About 35 men will be served there, but the women's rehab program will not be available until the nonprofit finds new space. Job training and some retail and warehouse jobs will be transferred to the Salvation Army store in Shoreline.

The city of Seattle does not provide funding for the because participants are required to partake in Christian worship, a spokesperson said. King County oversees funding for rehab beds, but it was unclear how big a blow the removal of 120 beds will be. There are eight residential facilities around the county serving adults, according to King County Substance Abuse Services.

The Salvation Army's William Booth Center shelter is not part of the closure, although the facility is located near the 4th Avenue buildings along Maynard Avenue.

The nonprofit said it would use the move as an opportunity to expand its adult rehabilitation program to include more job training, including a culinary arts program. The rehab program offers six months of treatment to men and women, although that can be extended up to a year.

"It’s the right time to evaluate our operations and look for opportunities to develop a program with even greater impact." Lt. Colonel Bill Dickinson, Divisional Commander of The Salvation Army, said in a statement. "The new model will give more options for post-program employment."

The Salvation Army is starting up a new fundraising drive to fund new programs and to find a new home for the Sodo operations, spokeswoman Lora Marini Baker said. She said that the Salvation Army is looking for a home in Seattle, although not necessarily in Sodo.