Salvation Army Donations Down in Maryland

The slow economy has had a dual effect on the Salvation Army this year: More people are requesting help, and fewer donations are coming in.

That's why the Red Kettle Christmas Campaign is so important, said Diana Ellis, regional resource development director for The Salvation Army.  The campaign, which runs from mid-Nov. to Dec. 24, is best known for using bell ringers and bright red kettles to raise thousands of dollars each year for families in need.

As of Dec. 21, the 68 kettles throughout the Greater Baltimore command (Baltimore City and County, Carroll County, Howard County and northern Anne Arundel County) have raised $449,000, which is $25,000 less than this time last year, said Brian Haldeman, a Salvation Army spokesman. The season's goal is $600,000.

In Harford and Cecil counties, the campaign has raised $75,000, while in Annapolis and southern Anne Arundel County, the campaign has raised $105,000.

The trend for Prince George's County, part of the National Capital Division, echoes the slowdown. Contributions in Prince George's County are down 4 percent to $72,146 versus $73,089 during the same period last year, according to Ken Forsythe, spokesman for the National Capital Division, which also includes Washington, D.C., Montgomery County and Northern Virginia.

In Montgomery County, donations through Dec. 22 were a total of $103,082 compared to  $159,381 for the same period last year.

Across the entire division, Forsythe said that donations are down 17 percent from the same period a year ago.  So far this year, donations total $982,863 with a goal of reaching $1.6 million.  Last year, the region pulled in $1.35 million in donations with a goal of $1.5 million.

Still, the Salvation Army remains optimistic about the remainder of the campaign.

"We have been fortunate enough to increase the number of volunteers at the kettles this year," Ellis said. "That decreases the cost that we incur on seasonal employees and also raises more funds as volunteers tend to raise more than regular employees because volunteers encourage their family and friends to come and donate."

Outside the Wal-Mart on Baltimore National Pike in Catonsville, Catherine Harvard of East Baltimore has been ringing the bell for nine hours a day every day since Nov. 12.

She loves the work though, and said she loves hearing people tell stories about how the Salvation Army has helped them.

"People are having a hard time themselves," she said.

But she has see donations come and go in waves, with some days yielding very few donors.

"You have your up days and your down days," the Baltimore resident said.

Harvard said she tries to do a little bit more than just ring the bell; she often sings Christmas songs to passersby.

"Ringing this bell doesn't get their attention," she said. "You have to think of something else."

Forsythe said the organization had believed donations would trend upward this year. He said part of the problem is the lack of visibility for some of the National Capital Region's 250 kettles, which can only be displayed for solicitation during limited times in some locations this year.

Donations support everything from gift giving programs for the needy to renting warehouse space to store gifts, he said, and the organization was still holding out hope for a last-minute boost in donations.

 "We're optimistic people," Forsythe said. "You never know who will come through at the last minute."

The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church, giving assistance to almost 30 million Americans each year.  Services include providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children.

The red kettle tradition began in 1891 when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee wanted to provide a free Christmas dinner for the poor in San Francisco. As he thought of ways to raise money, he remembered his days as a sailor in Liverpool, England. At Stage Landing, where the boats came in, passersby would toss coins into a large iron kettle called "Simpson's Pot." McFee borrowed the idea, placing a similar pot at the foot of San Francisco's Market Street. Beside it, a sign read "Keep the Pot Boiling." By Christmas, he had enough money to feed the needy.

The idea quickly spread across the country and eventually around the world. Kettles can be found in European countries and as far away as Japan and Chile.

The Salvation Army's Greater Baltimore Command operates nearly 70 kettles each day of the campaign, staffed by more than 3,000 ringers. The Harford and Cecil County branch operates about 15 kettles with 235 ringers, while the Annapolis and southern Anne Arundel County branch operates 14 kettles with more than 1,000 ringers.

The money raised in each area stays in the area for local assistance, Haldeman said. For example, Greater Baltimore funds mainly go toward Christmas assistance. Any remaining money is used for area programs and services, including Family Service Centers that help with rent, utilities and food.

For more information about kettle locations or online donations, visit the Salvation Army sites for Greater Baltimore, Harford County, and Cecil County.