Salvation Army Social work – Greenland
Issued 21 Jan 20019
Stamps: Single stamp & Souvenir sheet.

The charity postage stamp released by POST Greenland on Monday 21 January 2019 raised awareness and funds for The Salvation Army’s work with homeless people in Nuuk. Each stamp, which sells for 16 krone (US$2.40), will generate 1 krone of income for The Salvation Army.

Greenland’s 900 homeless live under harsh conditions. The Salvation Army’s ‘warm space’ in Nuuk is, therefore, a popular gathering place for Greenland’s vulnerable. ’Willam’s Café’ is the framework for the Salvation Army’s ‘warm space’. Free breakfast and inexpensive lunches are available and there is often a long queue.

The stamp was designed by local artist Maria Panínguak’ Kjærulff.  She reports: “Having researched about what the Salvation Army in Greenland does here, I drew a few sketches. I also talked to a volunteer at the Salvation Army, who told me that there is an intimate and personal feeling at the Salvation Army, and that people appreciate the soup kitchen. And that the age and gender of people there varies. So I included that in my image. I decided to make it as simple as possible to focus on the people. I put the lamp, which is also the sun from the Greenlandic flag, to symbolize hope and warmth. And that the people are all gathered under the light at the same table. Because they are somehow gathered at a certain time in their lives. I put shadows there and made the drawing rough, to show that it may be a challenging time. I used the red from the Greenlandic flag, but I also wanted it to have the same color as the Salvation Army logo, since it was for that cause”.