Red Kettle Donations Down, Internet Giving Up

The Western Pennsylvania Salvation Army's Red Kettles may have come up a bit short but Internet contributions more than made up the difference. Major Sandra Jackson, the Allegheny County Coordinator for the Salvation Army, says contributions at the kettle sites trailed their goals by nearly $100,000 but online donations were at an all-time high of more than $126,000....

"For any of us who don't change with technology, we are going to be left behind. So many people do a lot of their shopping via the Internet, so they don't encounter one of our Red Kettles. So, Internet giving is going to be more important, more critical."

Major Jackson says their goal this year was $2,575,000....up $75,000 from 2009....and they exceeded the overall goal by $52,000. ...."we are so grateful for the community we have here in southwestern Pennsylvania."
She says reaching that goal was critical...."once Christmas was over, families continue to struggle in Western Pennsylvania and the resources that are raised in those communities stay right there to assist families during these early winter months if there's continued heating needs, rental assistance of just getting to work."

Jackson noted that in 17 of their 39 Worship and Service Centers, the Red Kettle donations were behind 2009 figures so they will reassess their goals in those communities and consider the impact of stores that have closed in those communities that were supportive of the kettle campaigns in the past.