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By Katie Byard
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 06:08 p.m. EDT, Sep 26, 2009
Salvation Army officials are ramping up their Red Kettle campaigns in the face of surging demands for food, shelter and other services.
In Summit County, more locations will have the iconic kettles before Thanksgiving. Officials also will stress online Red Kettle giving.
Medina, Wadsworth and Canton groups also are talking about ringing bells earlier.
''I've been with the Army my whole life and an officer for the last 13 years and I've not had to deal with an economy like this,'' said Capt. Jim Betts of the Summit Salvation Army.
He noted that a record 300 adults and children sat down to a free lunch in July at the Salvation Army building on Maple Street, west of downtown Akron.
The number of requests for food, help with rent payments and other services is up 25 percent from a year ago.
And it's not just a big-city problem.
The Wadsworth Salvation Army had assisted more families through May than all of last year — 3,800.
Much of the funds for this help comes from the kettle drives put on by the evangelical Christian organization founded in 1865.
The Salvation Army group in Summit has yet to set its goal.
But Summit officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year, when lagging donations prompted the charity to extend the campaign from Dec. 24 through Dec. 31. In the end, the charity slightly surpassed its goal of $400,000.
Money raised in the Summit Red Kettle Campaign is spent throughout the year.
This year, Giant Eagle stores will allow kettles to go up Nov. 20 — a week before Thanksgiving. Traditionally, the grocery chain has not permitted the kettles until the day after Thanksgiving.
''What we've seen is that donations in the days before Thanksgiving are just incredible,'' Summit kettle coordinator Daryl Mangeri said. ''People are coming in for turkey, and stuffing and last-minute items and they donate.''
Kettles outside Acme grocery stores — which last year accounted for about one-third of kettle giving — will again appear about three weeks before Thanksgiving, Nov. 6. That's a week before the campaign's official kickoff Nov. 12.
The Summit charity is also planning contests in which companies try to outdo each other in contributions to an online Red Kettle site.
''They can compete for bragging rights, a pizza party or something,'' Summit Salvation Army spokeswoman Olivia Wakeling said. ''It really is a fun way to get more people involved.''
The charity also is making an extra push for volunteers this year, Mangeri said. The more volunteers, the less money the charity spends on paid bell ringers.
The charity — which is planning more than 50 kettle sites — is also honing in on schools, aware that students are required to perform community service.
One school — Summit Christian in Cuyahoga Falls — has volunteered to have students at 19 sites on Dec. 18.
Wadsworth Salvation Army Capt. Tom Grace said the charity may start its campaign about two weeks before Thanksgiving — about a week earlier than normal.
Grace said the continuing weak economy means last year's holiday onslaught is likely to be repeated. Last year, the charity provided 321 families with food and gifts for Christmas. That was up 25 percent from the 2007 holiday.
Medina Salvation Army officials are considering starting the campaign one or two days early.
Donor fatigue is an issue, said the Medina group's Capt. Sienna Jackson, echoing leaders of other Salvation Army groups.
''We kind of have to be careful,'' Jackson said. ''We don't want to start to annoy people.''
The chapter's goal this year is $60,000 — the same as last year's.
''Times are really hard,'' Jackson said.
The Salvation Army of Canton's Red Kettle goal of $215,000 may seem far-fetched. It's $15,000 more than the amount collected last year.
''The goal is optimistic, of course,'' Maj. Thomas Hinzman said. ''We did it because the need is so great.''
The charity will start its Red Kettle campaign Nov. 11 — allowing for two extra days of collection before Thanksgiving.
Hinzman also hopes to boost giving with ''kettle cards'' that will be offered at shops that do not have bell ringers. Customers can give a donation and sign a paper red kettle, which is then hung in the store.
''Even though times are tough, we're finding that people still want ways to give,'' Hinzman said. ''They're concerned about the neighbors, their friends and others who are less fortunate.''
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
Salvation Army officials are ramping up their Red Kettle campaigns in the face of surging demands for food, shelter and other services.
In Summit County, more locations will have the iconic kettles before Thanksgiving. Officials also will stress online Red Kettle giving.
Medina, Wadsworth and Canton groups also are talking about ringing bells earlier.
''I've been with the Army my whole life and an officer for the last 13 years and I've not had to deal with an economy like this,'' said Capt. Jim Betts of the Summit Salvation Army.
He noted that a record 300 adults and children sat down to a free lunch in July at the Salvation Army building on Maple Street, west of downtown Akron.
The number of requests for food, help with rent payments and other services is up 25 percent from a year ago.
And it's not just a big-city problem.
The Wadsworth Salvation Army had assisted more families through May than all of last year — 3,800.
Much of the funds for this help comes from the kettle drives put on by the evangelical Christian organization founded in 1865.
The Salvation Army group in Summit has yet to set its goal.
But Summit officials are hoping to avoid a repeat of last year, when lagging donations prompted the charity to extend the campaign from Dec. 24 through Dec. 31. In the end, the charity slightly surpassed its goal of $400,000.
Money raised in the Summit Red Kettle Campaign is spent throughout the year.
This year, Giant Eagle stores will allow kettles to go up Nov. 20 — a week before Thanksgiving. Traditionally, the grocery chain has not permitted the kettles until the day after Thanksgiving.
''What we've seen is that donations in the days before Thanksgiving are just incredible,'' Summit kettle coordinator Daryl Mangeri said. ''People are coming in for turkey, and stuffing and last-minute items and they donate.''
Kettles outside Acme grocery stores — which last year accounted for about one-third of kettle giving — will again appear about three weeks before Thanksgiving, Nov. 6. That's a week before the campaign's official kickoff Nov. 12.
The Summit charity is also planning contests in which companies try to outdo each other in contributions to an online Red Kettle site.
''They can compete for bragging rights, a pizza party or something,'' Summit Salvation Army spokeswoman Olivia Wakeling said. ''It really is a fun way to get more people involved.''
The charity also is making an extra push for volunteers this year, Mangeri said. The more volunteers, the less money the charity spends on paid bell ringers.
The charity — which is planning more than 50 kettle sites — is also honing in on schools, aware that students are required to perform community service.
One school — Summit Christian in Cuyahoga Falls — has volunteered to have students at 19 sites on Dec. 18.
Wadsworth Salvation Army Capt. Tom Grace said the charity may start its campaign about two weeks before Thanksgiving — about a week earlier than normal.
Grace said the continuing weak economy means last year's holiday onslaught is likely to be repeated. Last year, the charity provided 321 families with food and gifts for Christmas. That was up 25 percent from the 2007 holiday.
Medina Salvation Army officials are considering starting the campaign one or two days early.
Donor fatigue is an issue, said the Medina group's Capt. Sienna Jackson, echoing leaders of other Salvation Army groups.
''We kind of have to be careful,'' Jackson said. ''We don't want to start to annoy people.''
The chapter's goal this year is $60,000 — the same as last year's.
''Times are really hard,'' Jackson said.
The Salvation Army of Canton's Red Kettle goal of $215,000 may seem far-fetched. It's $15,000 more than the amount collected last year.
''The goal is optimistic, of course,'' Maj. Thomas Hinzman said. ''We did it because the need is so great.''
The charity will start its Red Kettle campaign Nov. 11 — allowing for two extra days of collection before Thanksgiving.
Hinzman also hopes to boost giving with ''kettle cards'' that will be offered at shops that do not have bell ringers. Customers can give a donation and sign a paper red kettle, which is then hung in the store.
''Even though times are tough, we're finding that people still want ways to give,'' Hinzman said. ''They're concerned about the neighbors, their friends and others who are less fortunate.''
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
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Canton, OH
Posted 06:32 PM, 09/26/2009
I wish that they would do away with the iconic Santa Claus Suit Bell-Ringer. . .
akron, oh
Posted 11:13 PM, 09/26/2009
I wish that they would do away with the iconic crack head bell ringer that steals the money.
Funtown, OH
Posted 10:46 AM, 09/27/2009
This year they should be allowed to carry, especially in Crackron.
Paradise, Oh
Posted 01:01 PM, 09/27/2009
A few years back, this outfit turned down a large donation from a gay organization. You may remember when this happened.
The way I look at it, if you are truly hard up for loot, you don't turn down free money because you disagree with a lifestyle. You take the money and smile.
When that went down, I sort of got the idea that they weren't as hard up as advertised.
I have to admit that I haven't dropped in a penny since.
I switched my donations over to the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Those folks truly need the bread.
Orrville, Oh
Posted 05:13 PM, 09/27/2009
Reality demands: every corporation, farmer, business, outsourcer sweatshop, and nonprofit, tax-exempt, organization and Church; markets the cost; in the wholesale and retail price of his or her product and service; Of every worker, consumer, and taxpayer living (including pension and health care); enabling parents to love, nurse, nurture, discipline, protect, and provide for every child (job) they conceive; and fund schools, infrastructure, national security, government services, and etc.; and pay for donors tax refund; for supporting nonprofit, tax exempt, Salvation Army; funds and pays; for unemployed workers, casino, lottery, and keno losers, aliens, waitresses that pander for life for $2.00 per hour; insubordinate, low-income; defiant of realities demands; volunteers without wages; nonunion parasites willing to work for fewer wages than they can afford life; and righteous; with a faith-based belief; that it’s a sin; to engage in free, fair, and affordable commerce; or get an agreement (union contract); With a corporation, business, or nonprofit, tax-exempt, organization, or Church; Agreeing to comply with demands; Of natural law (what Mother Nature, God, or Whatever Power decreed to be the reality of the real world), God, democracy, capitalism, the US Constitution, and free, fair, and affordable commerce.
Paying sales tax and for meth with welfare checks.
Paying for the more stock dividends (money); Hillarys (money marketers) market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of food with food stamps.
Pay property tax Supreme Court declared UNCONSTITUTIONAL four times; and pay interest on lottery winner’s winnings legislators invest in school bonds with housing vouchers.
Pay for the more stock dividends (money) Hillarys (money marketers) market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of prescription drugs and health care with Medicaid.
With money derived from wages or independent business profit!
akron, oh
Posted 08:22 PM, 09/27/2009
I don't know why they would turn down money from a gay group when they have gay's in the Salvation Army
