Calgary’s Salvation Army is inching closer to its fundraising goal for the year thanks to a boost in donations on the final week of the Christmas Kettle Campaign.
The organizations 2019 campaign has raised nearly 85 per cent of its fundraising goal of $1.1 million.
But that was not the case last week, as the Salvation Army announced that the campaign had only raised 55 per cent of its goal six days before the fundraiser’s deadline.
“We’re usually a little farther ahead than that with six days to go, and it was a little nerve-wracking,” Calgary Salvation Army executive director Karen Livick said.
“We recognize it’s tough times in Calgary both for those donating and those donating their time as well, but everyone came out that last weekend and we really appreciate everyone who stepped up.”
According to Livick, the turnout for this year’s kettle campaign resembled last year’s fundraiser, which raised $900,000 — $100,000 short of its goal.
The shortage in donations prompted the organization to put out a call to action, in the hopes of raising awareness and driving more donors to the kettles.
The money raised through the kettle campaign is used to fund the Salvation Army’s services throughout the year, which include shelter and housing programs, hot meals, ESL classes, school supplies and job search services.
“The money that’s raised here at Christmas stays in Calgary, and it helps fund our front line community services, 365 days a year,” Livick said.
“So that was our budget that we needed to continue to operate, based on the demand that we have been seeing.”
Demand for those services continues to rise, Livick said, with an increase in low income and vulnerable Calgarians as well as an influx of new Canadians who have relocated to the city.
The Army’s volunteer base also saw a drop this year, with many of the city’s 70 kettles running unmanned throughout the holiday season, Livick said.
“People are a little uncertain about their income and their employment in the new year — maybe those donors who would’ve donated in the past are just not sure what their income is going to look like in the future. And we were down on volunteers.”
This year’s campaign also included debit and credit card machines at each kettle, following a successful pilot project during last year’s campaign.
According to Livick, the kettle campaign total could see another bump as the final donations have yet to be tallied.
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