Salvation Army gets matching funds

Published 9:15 am Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The Albert Lea Salvation Army received $6,550 in matching fund donations last week for a grant that will provide assistance to newly unemployed community members, local Capt. Jim Brickson said Monday.

Originally, the local Salvation Army had one week to collect donations for the grant, which is part of a $3.45 million fund created by the Salvation Army Territorial Office in Chicago. That deadline has now been extended to Wednesday, Brickson said.

Stipulations of the grant stated that if area residents were able to donate $6,000 in matching funds, a grant of $12,000 would be given, while if residents were able to donate $9,000, a grant of $18,000 would be given.

Email newsletter signup

Because area residents have already raised more than $6,000, that means the local Salvation Army will at least receive the $12,000 grant, Brickson said. A majority of the donations came from residents, while one service group donated $1,000.

It will be available exclusively for local families affected by unemployment after Oct. 1. It will offer assistance to those families above the regular services provided by the Salvation Army.

There will be strict stipulations for the program, and people will have to prove they’ve been unemployed because of a job layoff.

Any other donations received through Wednesday that are specified for the cause will also go toward that grant.

Brickson said he sent the grant application off on Friday and hopes to hear something back by March 20.

Donors wishing to help with the community match should contact the local Salvation Army by calling 373-5710 or by going to www.thesalarmy.org/albertlea. Donations should be designated “for newly unemployed.”