Kettle campaign went better than Salvation Army expected

Published 8:58 am Tuesday, January 6, 2009

With less than two weeks to go until the end of its deadline for the mail portion of its annual campaign, the Albert Lea Salvation Army is nearing its goal of $134,000.

Albert Lea Salvation Army Capt. Jim Brickson said the community exceeded its kettle portion — which was $52,000 — and raised just about $58,000. This was one of the highest totals ever raised at the kettles, he said. Ironically, that portion of the goal was actually the part that the organization’s leaders had been worried about going into the campaign.

Throughout the campaign, Brickson made a strong appeal to seek out bell ringers because of lower numbers of volunteers at a few of the bell-ringing locations. Even with this lack of ringers at a few places, the kettle portion turned out well.

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On the mail appeal portion of the goal — which was about $81,000 — about $69,000 has been collected thus far, he said. That equals out to about 85 percent.

The two portions combined equal out to just over $127,000 — which is about $7,000 shy of the goal of $134,000.

“We’re going to do the best we can with what we get,” Brickson said.

Programs offered locally by the Salvation Army will not be cut; they might just have to be revamped, he said.

All funds raised through the campaign help the organization with myriad assistance programs for the community, including after-school and summer day-care programs for low-income families, temporary shelter, rental and fuel assistance, a food pantry and budget counseling to help families achieve economic independence.

While it would be nice to exceed the goal to take into account the growing number of people in need of social services, the organization will do whatever it can with what it raises, Brickson said.

For questions, call 373-5710.

Leaders of the local Salvation Army will begin budgeting next month for its upcoming fiscal year, when it will determine exactly how to use the funds collected during the campaign and what will be next year’s campaign goal.

Brickson said the need for services had increased so much this year, he couldn’t forecast it, and based on the amount of growth and the economic stress people are in, things are a little behind.

On a separate note, Brickson noted that the food pantry donations are probably half of what they were last year at this time, especially in terms of how much is coming in versus how much is going out.