The Salvation Army Christmas Kettle campaign is over $200,000 short of its fundraising goal with just four days left in the campaign.
Major Danny Pinksen, Executive Director of The Salvation Army Windsor Centre of Hope, says they had raised $154,000 as of Dec. 18, around $125,000 less than where they typically are at this point in the campaign.
The campaign runs from Nov. 18 to Dec. 24 at retail locations throughout Windsor-Essex, with the goal set at $350,000 this year.
Pinksen says the fundraising goal is one they have been able to reach in the past but they're concerned they may not reach it this year.
"We know one of the major challenges and the reason why we're short that much money is our lack of volunteers," says Pinksen. "Our volunteer base for our Christmas Kettle bell ringers is significantly less this year than pre-COVID numbers."
He says when they have volunteers next to their Christmas Kettles, they do very well.
"People of Windsor are very generous," he says. "The challenge is that we have a lot of vacant slots where we had no volunteers or no bell ringers. Therefore if we have no bell ringers, then we have no income that's coming in at those locations."
The annual Christmas campaign is The Salvation Army's largest public fundraising drive of the year and relies on the funds raised to feed, clothe, shelter, support those in need.
Individuals can donate in-person or online at www.salvationarmywindsor.ca.
If you have spare time of two hours of more and would like to volunteer, contact the coordinator, Leena, at 519-971-5878 or kettles@salvationarmywindsor.ca.
— with files from AM800's Rob Hindi