April 18, 2024

Salvation Army just short of 2019 Red Kettle goal

Organization is accepting donations until Jan. 31, thanks community for rallying during holidays

By Dustin Teays

Iowa State Rep. Wes Breckenridge, D-Newton, was among the volunteers to ring bells during the Newton Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign. The goal for the campaign was $37,000 with the Salvation Army falling a couple hundred dollars short this year. (Submitted Photo)

The Newton Salvation Army reported it was just short of reaching its $37,000 Red Kettle Campaign goal this past holiday season even after asking the community for financial support a few days before Christmas.

Captain Janelle Cleaveland said, “We were short for a little while, I was scared ... We ended up with 99 percent of our goal. So we were about $250-$300 short of our Red Kettle goal.”

There were concerns the shortcomings would affect the organization’s programming in 2020.

Cleaveland announced Dec. 19 — with just 12 days left of the campaign — the Newton Salvation Army was $10,000 short of its goal, which was increased from last year’s Red Kettle Campaign.

A couple of factors played into the organization acquiring less donations this year, Cleaveland said. One was the timing of the Red Kettle Campaign, which launched after a late Thanksgiving this year.

Lack of volunteers also stymied the Salvation Army’s efforts, especially when coupled with a different method used by the organization to secure volunteers.

“It was a new system for bell ringing (with) signing up being online,” Cleaveland said. “So I don’t know if that deterred people or what. We don’t put kettles out if there is no one is there.”

Even though the campaign did not meet its goal, the reaction from the community when the Salvation Army asked for help in December did boost donations.

“The generosity of the people really helped,” Cleaveland said. “We had several groups that signed up: Knights of Columbus, Rotary, Kiwanis. Kiwanis alone on their one day that they rang almost made $7,000.”

Organizations in Newton rallied around the Salvation Army to try and meet its goal. The Newton Hy-Vee developed a cashless kettle, where people could donate on their transactions and put a wooden token inside the kettles.

“We are really thankful for the Hy-Vee thing because that kind of saved us in the end,” Cleaveland said.

The holiday season provides a bulk of the Salvation Army’s donations for the coming year. Between November to the end of January the organization typically raises about $150,000, Cleaveland said.

“I don’t know where we are currently but we are not super far away from where we need to be, but we are not super close either,” she added.

The Salvation Army raises money a multitude of ways during holidays, frommailed correspondences and campaigns to donations directly from citizens. Even though it could fall short this year, Cleaveland doesn’t see too much of an impact on the horizon.

“Currently, I don’t think it will be drastic changes in the budget,” she said. “It might be a few little changes but not something drastic to support the community.”

This year the Salvation Army will try to secure bell ringer sign-ups earlier and hopefully get more people involved for the next Christmas fundraising season.

“Thank you to everybody who spent time bell ringing, whether in the cold or inside ... We are very thankful for the support of the community,” Cleaveland said.

People can still donate to Christmas giving season until Jan. 31 by either mailing their donation to the Newton Salvation Army, 301 N. 2nd Ave. E., Newton, IA 50208 or bringing it in-person. Anyone can volunteer to ring bells for the Red Kettle Campaign.

Contact Dustin Teays at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or dteays@newtondailynews.com