Rising Stars: Meet Lorena Strickland of Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorena Strickland.

Hi Lorena, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi, I’m Major Lorena Strickland and I am the Corps Officer of The Salvation Army Hollywood Temple. I was appointed here in July of 2024 and since then I have seen a growing need to help the community. We assist through our food pantry and utilities assistance for those in need. During the holidays we also provide Thanksgiving baskets for families and seniors, as well as seasonal assistance such as Angel Tree, a program where we make sure every child ages 0-12 receives Christmas gifts in addition to their family receiving a food basket. Besides serving the physical needs of the community, Hollywood Temple is a church in which we serve the spiritual needs of the diverse ages and cultures who attend our corps to learn about God and grow in their personal development. We are currently working toward opening a safe space for seniors and youth; for seniors where they can come and socialize and for the youth to have a safe place to study.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I first arrived, one of the biggest obstacles is our financial situation. In order to support our programs, we started to communicate with the food bank to start increasing the amount of food we receive.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an officer of the Salvation Army and I’ve been involved with the Salvation Army since 1986. Since then, I’ve been an officer and an employee in areas like finance, social services, and of course the most important being a pastor. I’m most proud of seeing that our youth have a vision to become more successful and to one day for them to become professionals. What sets me apart from others are my passion for the ministry. I just love what I do.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Always observe who shows great leadership and empathy towards everyone. I think what has worked well for me is not being judgmental, people deserve a second chance.