With a spike in demand for services combined with an estimated decline in donations amid the pandemic, The Salvation Army of Kankakee County had to get creative and needed community support more than any year in recent memory.
In this unprecedented season, a Christmas miracle happened: The Salvation Army has continued to serve the great need and in the final week of the year, the community has supported in reaching the 2020 Christmas Campaign goal of $205,900.
While the iconic Red Kettle donations fell short as expected due to fewer physical locations, fewer shoppers out at stores and effects from the change shortage, the community made up the difference through online and mailed donations, as well as kettle sponsorships.
The pandemic has impacted the world in innumerable ways and The Salvation Army Kankakee is feeling the hit in its iconic Christmas Red Kettle Campaign. While the campaign is celebrating 130 years, it is struggling to receive the donations it once overflowed with.
With only three days left of this yearâs campaign, the red kettles in Kankakee County are down just over 46 percent compared to last year. Since launching, the campaign has raised $21,650 of this yearâs goal of $85,000. That leaves the organization with a $63,350 gap to fill.
Corps officer and Salvation Army Kankakeeâs executive director Lt. T. Scott Parnell said that while he is concerned that donations are down this year, he still remains hopeful. He attributes his hope to the communityâs ability to help others when in need.
Acts of charity and giving back, like everything else, have been impacted by COVID-19. Though, the overall impact is not necessarily negative.
With so much turmoil in the world, people are looking for ways to help â on both a national and local level â and statistics are showing increases in charitable donations. The Fundraising Effectiveness Project â made up of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute â found that charitable giving was up 7.5 percent in the second quarter of 2020, as shown by a study released in October.
Additionally, Giving Tuesday â the 8-year-old campaign designed to encourage people to donate money annually to charities on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving â saw a 25 percent increase in donations over last year.