Salvation Army enduring subpar giving season so far

The Salvation Army offers consistent opportunities for students to give back to the community all year long and during the holiday season many students and student organizations choose to do so by volunteering for bell ringing.

Community Outreach Ministries’ annual Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign, just three weeks into its campaign, is well on its way to record territory.

Volunteers interested in helping to ring bells and collect money are also needed, and can sign up to do so by calling The Salvation Army of Midland, at 989-496-2787.

Local schools also are concluding their food drives for the Salvation Army.

Walmart stores in Eau Claire and Lake Hallie each have two volunteers, one each at the grocery store and department store entrances.

While The Salvation Army provides feeding and sheltering to address the foundational need, we provide much more than that.

“We closed out previous year at about $40,000”.

“We have seen far less adoptions this year and are struggling to meet our commitment to families in need”, he wrote via Facebook. “Some lost their jobs, one had a fire, some got sick or got evicted or had some other life-changing event”, she said.

This year, there were a lot of disasters including hurricanes and storms, and people generously donated to those causes, he said.

“We assure them that even though it looks like, when they’re mailing the check it goes somewhere else”, Schweigert said, “that’s just a processing center, but every cent that (the donor wants to stay in Hancock) stays in Hancock”.

But Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said the cost of renting the centre wasn’t the reason for the move to The Salvation Army Church on South Main Street from December 18-20.

“The trees are donated to us by the Union, so it’s actually a giant collaboration event”, said WAVE advisor and graduate assistant Enrique Boche.

For those who want to help people who are homeless or struggling financially, “this is great way to do it”.

Officials are asking for donations for Christmas presents for kids and the elderly.