The Columbus office of the Salvation Army needs to raise $62,000 by Jan. 30 to reach its annual Red Kettle Campaign goal of $125,000. The kettles will be available only through Dec. 24.
Donations may be made to the office at 2525 Illinois St., given online at centralusa.salvationarmy.org/columbusin or mailed by Jan. 21 to the Salvation Army office.
Capt. Amy Tompkins confirmed that that the campaign has been slower than expected this holiday season.
The $125,000 represents the ministry and social service’s annual operating budget except for salaries for its two-person staff. Those budgeted funds cover the outreach’s Angel Tree gifts for poor families’ children and teens, food pantry, weekly meal site for the poor, some help with utilities for the struggling, summer camp for youngsters, drug rehab assistance, and much more, according to Tompkins.
The situation is especially significant since the demand for Salvation Army food pantry help has risen to a record 975 families per month, Tompkins said. And the Salvation Army has faced a severe shortage of bell ringers for several years.
Also hampering the cause is the fact that cash is required at the local kettles — something that some donors have said they believe affects donations since fewer people carry cash in a debit-card and credit-card society. Plus, younger residents have mentioned they rarely use a debit card, using instead a phone app for purchases.
“Without the funding that we need, all of these programs cannot happen,” Tompkins said.
The local Christian church has faced similar Red Kettle Campaign shortfalls in the past at Christmas. In 2014, the campaign had collected $47,000 by Dec. 12 — but needed $53,000 more by Dec. 24 to meet its goal of $100,000 for its budget. The community stepped up and reached the goal.
In 2016, it needed $28,000 in 48 hours to reach a goal of $115,000, and the community met it.
Salvation Army board members such as Steve Fisher frequently have referred to the local outreach as one of the city’s “best-kept secrets.”
“It’s been a tough year,” Fisher said. “But our folks are always faithful.”
He added that a late start for most of the kettles because of Thanksgiving falling a week later on the calendar hurt the cause.
Last year, late in the campaign, a donor who chose to remain anonymous to the public walked into the Salvation Army office and donated $5,000 in the form of two checks to help the cause.
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- Donate by Dec. 24 at one of the red kettles stationed around the city at places such as Rural King, Kroger or Wal-mart.
- Donate online by Jan. 30 at centralusa.salvationarmy.org/columbusin
- Mail a donation by Jan. 21 to 2525 Illinois St., Columbus IN 47201 or make a donation in person by Jan. 30
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