The Salvation Army Yellowknife is appealing to residents for "desperately needed" donations and volunteers to reach the goal for this year's Christmas Kettle Campaign.
The campaign launched on Nov. 13 and runs to Christmas eve.
Cadet Jason Brinson stated in a Dec. 4 news release that the campaign has fallen short of where it needs to be.
NNSL file photo
The target for the kettle campaign this year is $44,000 but the funds raised stand at 48 per cent – just over $20,000.
This puts the campaign down about $8,500 from where it was last year, Brinson added.
Another $23,726.60 is needed before the end of the campaign.
Still, Brinson said he remains hopeful the objective can be met.
"We are coming up to the end of two-thirds done for the campaign," Brinson said. "Normally what we bring in doesn't equally distribute and in the last couple of weeks we sometimes will get more in."
The campaign also has to take into consideration mail-in donations, which could still be en route.
"We are extremely thankful and grateful for the volunteers and donors who have contributed to this year’s campaign,” stated Brinson. “Our community is helping us continue to provide food security, Christmas assistance, shelter and other year-round services to our neighbours.
"If you are able to donate your time and/or your financial resources, there are many ways to help."
Kettles are situated at Walmart, Canadian Tire, Direct Charge Co-op and both uptown and downtown liquor stores.
There's options for touchless tap donations so debit or credit cards can be used or QR codes can be scanned.
Brinson also stated that people can make donations online if they can't make an in-person donation.
The Salvation Army has a website at FilltheKettle.com. All donations will remain in the community to support the most vulnerable residents in the coming year.
Volunteering
The Salvation Army Yellowknife needs more people to fill volunteer hours for the campaign, Brinson added. Time slots are divided in two-hour increments where people can either sign up for two hours or have another person share the time.
The kettle shifts are slated on Thursdays and Fridays between 4 p.m.-8 p.m. at all five stations, meaning that 40 hours need to be filled through weekdays.
On Saturdays, the shifts take place between 12 p.m.-8 p.m. at all five stations.
In total, 80 hours have to be filled per week, Brinson said.
During shifts, volunteers are asked to spare a few hours to ring bells at a Salvation Army Kettle. Interested individuals can sign up at the YZFkettles.ca website or by calling 920-HOPE.
To date, Brinson said there have been 65 volunteers, but that is often due to social groups volunteering en masse. Otherwise, he calculates that there have been about 25 to 30 regulars and he would like to see 10 to 15 more.
"About 76-plus hours still need to be filled by kettle volunteers before the end of the campaign on Dec. 24," states the Salvation Army news release. "Every shift and every volunteer are vitally important to the campaign’s success."