Your donation to The Salvation Army will be worth twice as much this Saturday because it will be matched by Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen. This comes at a critical time when Albert Lea Salvation Army struggles with a $30,000 deficit.

“Our Army is serving people in crisis at numbers unprecedented ever since the recession began in 2008,” said Capt. Jim Brickson, Albert Lea Salvation Army leader. “We won’t – we can’t – close our doors when we see the hurt and the urgency. But without an outpouring of donations, we will be forced to change the way we can help.”

This double match comes at a critical time of service for The Salvation Army. Once school is out Army programs see an increase in need among families since school meal programs no longer help to supplement the working poor’s food budget.

In a recent national survey it showed that 38 percent of Americans have received assistance from a charitable group while that number jumps to 63 percent for those families earning less than $25,000 a year.

“Those statistic bear out what we are seeing here in Freeborn County,” said Brickson. “Our food shelf and meal program are what help many families make it to the next month’s pay check.”

From noon to 6 p.m. Saturday Salvation Army volunteers and staff will be collecting donations in Donut Days Boxes at Nelson’s Market Place, Hy-Vee, Walmart, Shopko, Walgreens and Trail’s Travel Center. Donations will also be matched by mailing a check to The Salvation Army, 302 Court St, Albert Lea MN 56007, please write match in the memo. Online donations will also be matched at www.thesalarmy.org. All funds given online will stay in Freeborn County unless donor designated otherwise.