One day after emptying the moving truck, Major Kyle Smith and Lt. Colonel Lisa Smith eagerly stepped into their roles as the Salvation Army’s new Southern Nevada Coordinators, ready to kick off the organization’s annual water drive.
“We’re excited to be here,” said Kyle. “We look forward to making an impact and firmly believe that every bottle of water we collect can make a difference.”
The couple steps into the shoes of Majors Maggie and Harold Laubach, who served the community as Southern Nevada Coordinators for two years before their reassignment to Oregon.
Relocating from Phoenix, Arizona, the Smiths served the southwestern community for two years. Lisa was the Spiritual Life Coordinator at the Salvation Army Division Headquarters in downtown Phoenix. Kyle took a 23-month hiatus from the Salvation Army to serve as a Nonprofit Fundraising Consultant. He returned to the organization for the move to Vegas.
“This is the first time I’ve put this uniform on in 23 months,” Kyle shared, laughing. “It’s slightly tight, but it’s okay.”
With deep roots in the Salvation Army, the Smiths were each raised in families dedicated to the organization and felt a powerful calling to contribute as adults. Lisa served as an officer for 30 years, drawing on her background as a child of Salvation Army officers. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in French Studies at the University of Washington and holds a master’s in Spiritual Formation from Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho.
Kyle’s upbringing on a rural New Zealand dairy farm shaped his 25 years of service. His legacy finds its roots in his parents’ and grandparents’ commitment to the Salvation Army, dating back to the organization’s inception in the 1880s. After high school, he traveled the globe for two years, culminating in his enlistment in London.
The couple from different parts of the world – Lisa from Los Angeles and Kyle from London –met both while serving as members of the Rwanda Relief Team during the 1994 genocide.
“I was in Rwanda for only two weeks,” Kyle reflected. “I was involved in a serious accident and was flown back to England. But during that time, I met this lovely lady.”
After his recovery, Kyle joined Lisa in Los Angeles. They fell in love and were married. In January, the couple celebrates 30 years together. They are blessed with two sons who were born in the United States and are now living in New Zealand. The Smiths have served in Hawaii, Los Angeles, Singapore, Washington State, Arizona and Las Vegas.
“We are both driven to make a difference and to work with others,” said Kyle. “We’re excited to see what we can do in Las Vegas.”
As the couple’s inaugural event, the Hydrate Las Vegas Water Drive introduces them to the community while making an impact. The annual drive is in partnership with Albertsons, Vons, Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing and the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
According to Angel Dennis, Salvation Army’s social services director for Southern Nevada, water is critical for those living on the streets, noting the 526 heat-related deaths in Las Vegas last year.
“We want that number to be zero,” said Lisa. “We don’t want anyone to die because of heat.”
The Salvation Army and its partners are collecting water throughout July at participating Albertsons, Vons, and AutoNation locations throughout the valley. Last year, the event amassed 23 pallets of water, and because of the increasing need, the organization hopes to collect considerably more this year. Dennis says the Salvation Army staff can give out over 1,000 water bottles daily during extreme temperatures.
“People don’t realize the impact water has,” said Dennis. “It saves lives. It’s hope. It’s dignity. It can connect someone to services and get them off the streets.
“There is no way we can do this alone,” she continued. “We need the community’s help. Every donation of one bottle of water makes a difference.”
In addition to sustaining life, water is an essential tool for initiating a conversation with someone struggling.
“The Salvation Army concept is helping the whole person, mind, body, and soul,” said Kyle. “We don’t just want to give them water and say, ‘See you later.’ We want to find out what they need and help them. Water is a conduit to more things.”
In addition to the water drive, the Smiths oversee the final phase of The Salvation Army’s capital fundraising campaign for the new North Las Vegas facility. The organization has raised $9 million and hopes to raise an additional $1 million. The facility is expected to be completed next summer. The over 12,000-square-foot facility will be a resource hub, a food pantry, and the home of its Family Service Department, which accounts for all the Homeless Prevention Programs.
“If anyone wants to be a part of the campaign, they still have the opportunity to do so,” said Kyle. “I would love to chat with them.”
The Salvation Army is a faith-based international organization that is part of the universal Christian Church. Its mission is to preach Jesus Christ’s gospel and meet human needs without discrimination. In addition to their other roles, the Smiths will serve as pastors at the local Salvation Army church.
The organization’s central social services hub is on Owens Avenue in North Las Vegas. There are 288 shelter beds on site, and 300 people live in the campus dorms.
“Anyone can come in, drink, and relax,” said Kyle. “No judgment.”
The Day Resource Center serves over 200 people daily, connecting them to services. In addition, it offers emergency services, vocational, family, homeless, and anti-human trafficking programs, serving anyone in need. The Henderson location serves over 600 families monthly through its food pantry.
“We meet human needs without discrimination,” said Lisa. “That is the foundation of everything we do.”