Amid high need, Salvation Army rushes to meet fundraising goal
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - With just days to go, the Salvation Army of Augusta is rushing to make its Red Kettle Campaign goal.
With bell-ringers positioned outside major shopping areas across the CSRA, this year’s campaign could be one of the most important ones in years after a tough year getting donations.
The goal is $225,000.
“We are currently sitting at $196,000 that we’ve raised and so the goal is $225,000. So we’re just shy of $30,000,” said Maj. Jonathan Raymer.
Last year they raised $200,000, but this year they are aiming bigger.
MORE FROM NEWS 12:
- Augusta Transit offers free rides to overnight shelters
- Cops shoo away volunteers trying to help Augusta’s homeless
“If we don’t get to that $225,000, we would have to then look at a couple of things that we would have to cut back in order to stay within our budget,” said Raymer.
They’re needing more donations and volunteers.
“It’s very important in order to keep the shelter running and the way that we want it to run, because this previous year we had 164 of our residents get into permanent housing, which is more than the previous three years combined,” said Raymer.
Among the services in the past year, the Red Cross provided:
- More than 2,000 night stays for families in need.
- More than 160 people placed in stable housing.
- Thousands of meals.
Nationally, the Salvation Army has helped nearly 24 million Americans overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships through a gamut of social services.
If you don’t have cash you can donate online through their website.
“You can see the number of homeless, and the number of people experiencing homelessness, that number is going up. And for us, the Salvation Army because of us partnering with so many other nonprofits and partnering with concerned citizens and all that we’ve, we have been able to get people into stable housing. And so it isn’t just $1. It’s allowing us to give dignity to other people,” he said.
You can help by donating when you see Salvation Army bell ringers at these CSRA locations:
- Bass Pro Shops
- Belk in Evand and North Augusta
- Big Lots in Augusta, Evans, North Augusta and Waynesboro
- Dillard’s
- Kroger in Augusta, Evans, Grovetown, Martinez and North Augusta
- Hobby Lobby
- Jenney
- Walmart on Agusta, Evans, Grovetown, North Augusta, Thomson and Waynesboro
- Sam’s Club
Also in the news ...
- Savannah River Mission Completion, liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site, said Wednesday it had donated $5,000 to the Salvation Army for local needs in Aiken, Barnwell, and Allendale counties, as senior executives volunteered to ring the bell for the Red Kettle Campaign.
Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
