The Foothills Salvation Army is ringing in the holiday season by continuing its’ efforts to help less fortunate families have a Merry Christmas.
However, the High River-based organization isn’t just looking for donations this year, they also need volunteers to help with its annual kettle campaign.
Salvation Army Lt. Kelly Fifield, said the kettle campaign is essential to the Salvation Army’s work in the Foothills.
“The kettle campaign is very important,” she said. “It’s the only major fundraiser we do every year, so all of the money that comes in from our campaign allows us to do everything we do as the Salvation Army within the Foothills throughout the rest of the year.”
Salvation Army kettles will be located in Okotoks at WalMart, Sobeys, Safeway and Costco on the first two weekends in December. Kettles are also in High River at Co-op and Sobeys.
Fifield said they still need volunteers for the Salvation Army in Okotoks, particularly for weekends and the last weeks before Christmas. Anyone interested in signing up for a shift is asked to call 403-422-0097.
Last year’s kettle campaign raised $86,000 and the goal for this year is $92,000.
Fifield said the target is in line with what they feel they will need given recent layoffs.
“The more people that are out of work, the more people are in need of our services, so our numbers have continued to rise in recent years,” she said.
Fifield said there is a strong demand for the Salvation Army’s services through the year, but the demand has grown.
The organization’s food bank in High River serves an average of 150 families per month and she sees around five or six applications a week for rental, utility and financial emergency assistance.
“Even just back to a year or two ago, I was maybe getting only one or two,” said Fifield. “So, we’re just seeing that need go up for those just needing that emergency assistance.”
She said the earlier people can get their donations in the better.
“Oftentimes people think about us the week or so before Christmas,” said Fifield. “Our challenge is our Christmas hampers actually go out the week before Christmas, they go out on Dec. 18 and 19.”
Donations can also be dropped off at the Salvation Army’s High River offices on Centre Street.
A toy drive will be held at the Bob Snodgrass Recreation Complex in High River on Dec. 7 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and donation boxes are also out in a number of locations across High River and Okotoks.
The Salvation Army will hand out toy and food hampers to needy families in advance of Christmas. Christmas toy hampers provide gifts for children of all ages, up to high school, while food hampers provide food for families to have a traditional Christmas dinner.
Applications for hampers and Christmas assistance are accepted until Dec. 4. Applicants need to come to the High River office and provide identification living in the household, proof of income for anyone over the age of 18 and gift wish lists for children. For more information call 403-652-2195, ext. 2.
