I do have to peep up here...there were several times as a child that my family was helped.
There was a few brothers and sisters that would come pick us up for the meetings because my father would not provide a car for my mom. (that may not seem a lot to some, but these people went way out of their way, and those were very very christian people...if all witnesses were like the few I am thinking of, it would be the true religion).
Also, when I was about 12, we literaly had no food....my mother cheerfully handed me a butterknife and instructed me to go out in the yard and dig up Dandelion greens so we could have supper. I was out in the yard doing this, when a couple from the hall pulled up. They had at least a weeks worth of groceries in their car for us, and an envelope with some cash in it. Now, at the time there were 6 of us kids at home plus my parents, so a weeks worth of groceries were quite a bit. The couple did contribute money to the groceries, but they told my mom that several other witnesses did as well, but did not wish to be identified.
Another time, after I had fallen on hard times as an adult, and single mom, two sisters showed up at my door with a few bags of groceries, and an elder gave me some money (it was only 20 bucks, but he also helped me move on short notice, and did not have a lot of money himself). And there were some close friends that I had at the hall that helped me in other ways in my time of need.
Over all, it is true that there is NOT enough help for the needy. Because they focus too much on the preaching work, there is no focus on charitable works. This is one of the reasons that I could not bring myself to continue in the hall. There are several witnesses I know that are in need...be it because they are mentally disabled, or have addictions that they are struggling with...and because the elders feel that they cause thier own problems by not being more active in the hall, they do not help. And when you are witnesses are made to feel shamed about their own problems, you do not spend much time figuring out how you can help others if it cannot be recorded as ministry hours.
My mother would not allow us to shop at Salvation Army...but the good will is okay. She would never go to a soup kitchen if it was at a church.
It is sad....semantics getting in the way of helping others. I don't know much about the Salvation Army as a religion, but what I know about the programs for the needy they run, they have my respect.