It’s that time of year again! It is the time where giving is more important than receiving, where families have an opportunity to gather and celebrate for the holidays; but some people do not have the opportunity to do so. The Salvation Army works year-round to improve the lives of others in a number of ways, but the Christmas Kettle Campaign is their largest fundraising event of the year. This season marks the 130th year of the fundraiser, and they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. But, with the COVID-19 pandemic hitting communities hard, the fundraiser is struggling to make it as successful as previous years.
Communities across the country are reaching out for help, and the number of visits to Salvation Army are skyrocketing. Darryl Burry, the Executive Director of the Kelowna-Lake Country Salvation Army, told CBC that on average their numbers have increased by 61 per cent this year. These numbers are a clear indication of the struggle our province, and the rest of Canada, is experiencing. As the largest fundraiser for The Salvation Army, the kettle supports 1.9 million vulnerable people in 400 communities across Canada. But with the increased number of people in need, and the lack of volunteers this year, there is worry this season will not generate enough. The need for volunteers is a detrimental issue, Prince George’s Salvation Army Major Neil Wilkinson told CBC News that, “many of our volunteers are 50 [and older] and they are one of the sectors that are at most risk when it comes to the pandemic and so our key demographic for volunteers is being impeded by the pandemic”. It is no question that this holiday season is already going to be much different than what we are used to, but The Salvation Army is going to try and make it go as smoothly as they possibly can.
With that being said, there is one major change that could be greatly beneficial to the campaign! By the start of December, the goal is for contactless options, such as tap for debit and credit cards at most stations. Along with that, they are working vigorously to ensure they possess the correct spacing in front of local business in order to guarantee the safety of the public and volunteers. Lastly, there is an easy to use “donate” button on The Salvation Army website that you cannot miss!
Help pay it forward to your community this season. Whether you have the time to volunteer a couple hours a week, skip your coffee that day and drop a few dollars in the Christmas Kettle, or send what you can online, everything helps. If you are interested in volunteering, click A Call for Christmas Volunteers – The Salvation Army in Canada and fill out an application now!
Photo – The Salvation Army