All who meet with Salvation Army’s Bowen offered listening ear, support

HANNIBAL, Mo. — When someone in crisis reaches out to Denise Damron, executive director of the United Way of the Mark Twain Area, she often refers them to Amanda Bowen, the family services caseworker at The Salvation Army in Hannibal.

“We send over half of the calls that come in on the community helpline to the Salvation Army in one way or another,” Damron said in a press release. “It’s not always for financial assistance. Sometimes I just know they need the love and support of Amanda.”

All who enter Bowen’s office are offered a listening ear and support. Together, they identify the current situation and draw a roadmap to a better place.

“She really helps them figure out where they are in life and where they need to go,” Damron said.

Although they may share certain circumstances, each story Bowen hears is unique to the person telling it.

“It’s amazing how well people perceive you when they are really being heard for the first time. Nine times out of 10, people feel better when leaving the office just because they feel like someone is hearing them, and that’s a huge thing,” she said. “There are many areas The Salvation Army works and specializes in, but I love the focus on case management and getting to know individuals.”

Bowen helps calms crises in people’s lives by teaching them to focus on one priority at a time.

“We look at tackling the first priority and then moving on to the next one,” she said. “You can’t do more than that — and when you realize that, you can take a breath. Having someone to talk to and help sort it out really helps.”

Bowen’s goal when talking to someone in crisis is not only finding means of immediate support but also looking for long-term solutions. This often requires helping clients think outside the box. For example, she can help provide food pantry items to a person paying $300 a month for groceries and reallocate those funds toward rent.

Bowen recalled a situation when a caseworker from another organization needed help getting a mental diagnosis for her adult brother while caring for her elderly mother. Although it was the person’s job to help others daily, she struggled to find support for her own family.

Bowen began reaching out to others who could help. Eventually, the brother moved into a group home he now loves.

“There wasn’t really anything I did for her financially. I just helped her navigate how to get him help and get diagnosed,” Bowen said.

Bowen added that much of what she offered came from taking care of her own parents.

“You learn the hard way — falling a thousand times — and usually with someone you love the most,” she said.

Learning about available resources also comes from working with a network of local agencies like the ones around the Hannibal area. Just like many are referred to her through other agencies, Bowen refers people to other organizations for help. This collaboration also helps local organizations evaluate needs without duplicating services.

“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel. We want to make sure we are doing what is in our specialties and working together in that,” she said. “Meanwhile, some services can’t be duplicated enough, like food pantries.”

Bowen said the local agencies serve as a united front to guide those in the community during their hardest times.

“I’m so grateful for the agencies I collaborate with. We hold hands. We lock arms,” she said. “We aren’t competing with one another. We are just doing what’s best because we know we are serving families in our communities, our neighbors and friends.”