Salvation Army Christmas Center Set to Open Monday

The Red Kettle Campaign is at 52 percent of the $150,000 goal and only two weeks remain in the collection season.

Christmas can be a stressful time of year for many families in the Magic Valley, which is where the Salvation Army comes in.

The Salvation Army says its Northern Division, which serves Minnesota and North Dakota, gives away about 202,000 Christmas toys each year. In fact, one Good Samaritan in the community made an anonymous donation of $600 worth of toys to the program.

Throughout large areas of the city, the need is growing, with more than 850 families signing up for holiday gifts and food this year, according to Salvation Army officials. The region-wide Red Kettle campaign will conclude on Christmas Eve. And so when they’re looking at those kinds of issues, they go to the Salvation Army for assistance. On Eyewitness News at 5:30 p.m., we’ll hear from a volunteer who says this mission is close to her heart because it takes her back to her childhood in California.

“It was windier in the earlier part of the morning so it felt more winter-like I guess, so I had a lot more people stop by”, said Harris. “So, we encourage folks as they’re out doing their Christmas shopping they can buy an extra item, they can drop it off”.

Drew Forster, a spokesman for the organization, said they are usually around the halfway mark of their goal during mid-December, but this year they are slightly behind schedule.

The Salvation Army of Altus includes Jackson and Greer Counties.

Some of the people who have been helped by the Salvation Army include students from Stamford Collegiate Secondary School’s Alternative Pathways program. “Many have been living off credit for four or five months, and now are in real need”.