Kettle Donations Down

The Salvation Army is still

accepting gifts to make up

for a short Christmas season

The Salvation Army has ended its Red Kettle Campaign in storefronts and estimates donations are down 13 percent, about $400,000 less than has been collected in previous years. This year, because of a late Thanksgiving date, the Kettle season was shorter by four vital days, a situation that could be one of the reasons donations were down.

The Salvation Army receives 60 percent of its annual budget during the last two months of the year. Kettle gifts stay in the local community where the money is donated and help provide meals, clothing and shelter for families in need, and many other services throughout the year. About 82 cents of every dollar donated goes to support these services.

“We served hundreds of thousands of meals and distributed toys to more than 50,000 families this holiday season,” said Major John Brackenbury, Phoenix coordinator. “The Valley of the Sun has been extremely generous with in-kind donations such as toys and food. However, we need monetary donations to help people all year long. When Christmas is over, the people we serve still face hunger, job loss, underemployment and discouragement. We desperately want to help them all year long, not just at Christmas.”

While the Red Kettles are no longer on the street, The Salvation Army is still hoping for end-of-the-year gifts. Donations to The Salvation Army, qualify for the Arizona Working Poor Tax Credit.

Donate online at HERE. Donations can also be mailed to 2707 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix, AZ 85008 or called in at 1-800-AL-ARMY.