Salvation Army Christmas kettle campaign short $250K across Maritime provinces

A familiar fundraiser that is synonymous with the holiday season is short $250,000 across the three Maritime provinces this year, a reflection of the difficult times charities are facing during the pandemic.

Maj. Jamie Locke says with just two days to go, the Salvation Army's Christmas kettle campaign is still far from its regional goal of collecting $1.8 million from the Maritimes.

"So we really need to try to put a push on for these last two days and see if we can boost the campaign," he said in an interview Wednesday.

The Salvation Army usually installs about 200 kettles in stores across the region during the holiday season, but this year, Locke said, his organization has deployed fewer, adding that he couldn't give an exact number.

Locke said this year's campaign has also been hindered because there are fewer volunteers to staff the kettles, many of which have been set up without a greeter standing nearby.

"I think that makes the kettle not as noticeable, when you don't see a volunteer," Locke said.

Another hurdle, he said, is the fact many of the locations where the kettles are traditionally installed, such as malls and retail stores, have been less frequented this holiday season and are operating under tight pandemic-related restrictions.

Despite that, Locke said Maritimers have a well-earned reputation as generous when it comes to supporting charities, and he said many have found other ways to support his organization.

Online donations are up, he said, adding that people sometimes show up to a Salvation Army building with a donation.

"While it's helping, it's not completely compensating for the shortfall at the kettles," he said.

The kettle campaign is an important component of the Salvation Army's efforts to help people year-round by providing food, shelter and support programs, Locke said. Last year, the Salvation Army provided assistance to more than 56,000 people across the Maritimes.

COVID's impact on charity sector

The Salvation Army's struggles reflect larger issues that have plagued the charity and service sector since the pandemic hit Canada in March.

Bruce MacDonald, CEO of Imagine Canada said "the ripple effect from an economic perspective is definitely starting to impact charitable giving."

A survey by his organization, which represents a number of charities across the country, indicated that about half of Canadian respondents said they planned to donate this holiday season — down 10 percentage points from past surveys.

Of those planning to donate, 36 per cent of respondents said they would give less this season, with 71 per cent citing COVID-related financial difficulties as the reason.

"That's critical," he said. "Forty per cent of all individual giving comes in during the last eight weeks of the year. In Canada, it really is the season of giving."

MacDonald said the fact fewer people are in stores means there is less "impulse philanthropy" — on which fundraising efforts such as the Salvation Army's kettle campaign depend.

Sara Napier, president and CEO of the Halifax United Way, said the financial crunch comes at a time when more people are seeking help from community agencies because of COVID-related financial problems.

Compounding the problem, she said, are the financial challenges faced by supporters in the corporate and business community. "Those two things together have really manifested in a challenging year," she said.

As a result, she said the sector will have to continue to seek newer ways to sustain itself into the future.

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