The local branches of the Salvation Army brought in a record amount of donations this year through the annual red kettle campaign.
About $432,000 was raised through red kettles stationed in front of businesses around Clark County. This was four percent more than last year, said Steve Rusk, local director of community relations and development.
About 14 percent of the annual budget is raised by donations put into red kettles. Dec. 23 and 24 were particularly good days for bell ringers soliciting donations from last-minute shoppers.
This year, kettles and bell ringers were out Nov. 18 through Christmas Eve. The Salvation Army has 78 red kettles stationed around the county seeking donations to support the nonprofit’s local programs, such as rental, food and housing assistance, and its annual Christmas Center, where food and toys are given to 800 local families.
Some approved locations went unmanned because there weren’t enough people to fill those spots. Bell ringers can be paid or volunteer their time. Rusk said the nonprofit hopes to gather more bell ringers, especially volunteers, next year.
While donations through the red kettles are up, donations through the Salvation Army’s mail campaign — its other means of supporting year-round operations — are down by about 8 percent. The year is not quite over and people typically make year-end donations in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Rusk said the Salvation Army receives little grant funding and mostly relies on the generosity of local donors.
Rusk said the Salvation Army constantly adjustment to how it approaches and solicits donations. The fiscal year is October through September.
“Maybe it needs to be different next year,” he said. “Reductions in spending usually affect the services we have committed ourselves to provide to the community, so we never like to see that. … We’d rather be advancing and increasing.”
The Salvation Army is a Christ-centered nonprofit with locations nationwide and in 127 countries. Locally, there are branches in Vancouver and Washougal.
