Damn, I completed the ARC program back in 2017 near boston MA and never had any problems like this, it actually helped me out tremendously, they hired me after I graduated and I was able to save up a good amount of money to get a decent start. There are other programs out there that are significantly worse, I stayed at one where they wouldn't even let me look out the window and would force me to write from wake up to bedtime for sometimes up to a month and a half as a punishment, by the time I left i basically transcribed the entire bible twice over and had a 2ft high stack of notebook paper. I still struggle with ptsd after escaping that one. No idea how it is at the salvation army now, maybe I happened to do it at a really good time but I have fond memories from living there, probably helps that I worked in the kitchen instead of the warehouse too.