'Tis the season for generosity. Without the selfless giving of Americans all across the county, The Salvation Army would not be able to assist approximately 23 million people whose needs range from food and shelter to treatment for substance abuse and disaster relief. "Americans have such generous hearts, but it's easy to overlook the needs of others during such a stressful time of year," said David Hudson, the national commander of The Salvation Army USA. "Because of donations from people all across the country, we have been able to fight the homelessness crisis gripping so many of our cities and provide treatment for individuals who have fallen into addiction. Our work is even more critical during the holidays."
And this year in particular, end-of-year donations are more important than usual. With intense need across the country, The Salvation Army's ability to serve has been endangered by a shortened holiday shopping season. The holiday season is essential in filling the iconic red kettles, but 2019 has the fewest shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas in the last six years. In 2018, people had 33 days to contribute to the red kettles; this year, they have only 27.
For most Americans, the shortened season makes their schedule a little more hectic. But it can also have the unexpected impact of reducing the amount of charitable giving from holiday shoppers. Based on data from the past eight years, The Salvation Army could see donations drop by $12 million.
Consider what that $12 million means for people in need when just a little bit of money goes such a long way:
$2.70 can provide a meal to someone in need
$27 can provide a night of shelter
$56 can feed a family of three for a week
As the largest social services organization in the country, The Salvation Army tackles need of all kinds without discrimination:
With one in six Americans living in poverty, housing insecurity is a critical issue. The Salvation Army provides homeless shelters, programs for transitional housing, and long-term housing services.
With the opioid crisis still raging across the country, The Salvation Army operates more no-cost residential treatment programs than any other organization in the country, helping more than 150,000 people kick substance abuse and reclaim their lives and families.
As one of the largest disaster relief organizations in the United States, The Salvation Army is on the front lines of every major natural disaster, providing recovery assistance as well as spiritual and emotional care.
To help The Salvation Army meet need this holiday season, or to make a recurring gift, please visit salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).