Drop in Red Kettle Donations Could Mean Lean Year Ahead, Salvation Army Says

TAMPA, FL — The season of giving is here, but people aren’t giving quite as much as they once did. That’s been The Salvation Army’s experience so far this holiday season as donations at Red Kettle locations throughout Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are down by an estimated 12 percent.

The annual drive that puts volunteers armed with bells and kettles outside Publix, Walmart JCPenney and other retailers has a goal of $2 million to fund services for men, women and children across the two counties. If the current pace of giving keeps up, some of those services may have to be cut in the coming year, Capt. Andy Miller, area commander for The Salvation Army of Tampa and Hillsborough County, told Patch.

“We won’t be able to serve as many people,” Smith said.

Over the past year, The Salvation Army in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties served 101,000 men, women and children. The nonprofit organization, which has a history that dates back more than 150 years, provides meals and shelter for families in need, Christmas toys for thousands of children, afterschool programs, case management services and more.

More than just a shelter for homeless people, The Salvation Army has a goal of moving its clients toward self-sufficiency, Miller said. “We want to people to move from the street to their feet,” he said.

A typical one-night stay at a shelter costs The Salvation Army about $45 a person, Miller said. That estimate covers lodging, food, security, showers, case management and other services provided to help people get back on their feet. In addition to serving homeless men and women, the organization also runs youth services programs, a food pantry, assistance for those facing eviction and other related programs.

"With less than three weeks left before Christmas, we're hoping that shoppers will think of their neighbors in need the next time they pass a Salvation Army bellringer and give what they can," said Miller. "This is the time of year when The Salvation Army raises most of its individual contributions, so any drop in donations could negatively impact The Salvation Army's ability to meet needs here in Tampa Bay."

While kettle donations are not the only source of support for The Salvation Army, they play a big role, Miller explained. In the Tampa Bay area, annual budgets are partially based on the performance of the prior year’s Red Kettle campaign. That makes every coin or dollar bill dropped into a kettle important, Miller said.

Bellringers will be out at Walmart, Publix and other retailers through the Christmas season. People who wish to make donations in other ways can do so online at www.SalvationArmyTampaBay.org or by calling 1-800-725-2769. To find out more about how kettle donations are used, visit the organizations Red Kettle Reasons website.

Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army