Salvation Army Red Kettle Update

(KNSI) – With less than a week before Christmas, the Salvation Army in St. Cloud shared the Red Kettle Campaign’s progress with KNSI.

Major Mike Parker says they’re just behind last year’s totals. “I do have some good news to share with you. Last time we talked we were over $10,000 (behind the goal). It went up to $15,000, and then we had a generous donor for the kettles of $10,000. So we’re at $6,700 behind where we were last year. But that’s an improvement from just the last time we talked. So maybe your listeners, other people that read in here, have been blessing us. We just really appreciate that.

Parker says the week before Christmas is always the busiest in the campaign. “Saturday was the biggest day that we’ve had this year; over $1,000 in one day, so it was an excellent day. The optimists were out on Saturday, that’s why it’s so important for us to have groups, clubs, organizations that come out because it gives us more opportunity for them to be a blessing as well for people that we’re helping and serving.”

The campaign officially ends December 24th, but Parker says some donations will continue to come in through the New Year. The Red Kettle Campaign helps fund programs and services through the Salvation Army all year, and Major Parker says the need is out there.

“Well, we have seen an increase in people. We provide food five days a week. We have seen an increase in meal serve. We’re seeing an increase in the number of people coming to our food shelf, which is twice a week. The shelter is probably the biggest expense with employee costs and then just people staying there. We pay over $50,000 in utility costs alone. We’re reminded internally that there’s a lot of things that make up the cost of a budget.”

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