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Dec 19, 2008 6:51 pm US/Eastern
Economic Trouble Has Salvation Army Donations Down
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
Every Christmas people open up their hearts and wallets when they pass those red Salvation Army kettles.
But in the wake of a struggling economy, officials say holiday donations are coming up short of the Salvation Army's projected goal.
It's a familiar sight and sound that comes with the holiday season. This year, Salvation Army bell ringers were out early with their red kettles hoping to get a jump on donations.
But the Salvation Army says it has met only 60 percent of its $2.4 million goal for the western Pennsylvania region and it needs a million more dollars before the campaign ends on Christmas Eve.
Allegheny County's goal of $750,000 is about $200,000 short.
"Everyone's saying the economy," said the Salvation Army's Captain Tim Duperree. "I haven't researched it, but that would be my guess, that it's the economy because we've seen an increase in need for our services as well. In the North Side alone I believe 300 new families that they've never seen before."
The money from the kettle drive provides food, clothing and toys for thousands of needy families.
Some of the toys will go to the Salvation Army's God Sent Grandparents support group, making Christmas a little brighter for grandmothers raising grandchildren.
"We always want to give our children something to show them that we love them and because of the money from the kettle season of the Salvation Army it's a great help," said the group's Frances Lewis.
Duperree says they're hoping and praying donors will help them reach their goal before Christmas Eve. He says it happened last year.
"We were down $81,000 at the end of the campaign and some generous donor gave us the money and that's how we met it last year," he said.
Also, the Salvation Army is hoping for a little bit of snow between now and Christmas Eve. They say it helps people feel the spirit and makes them more generous.
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