THUNDER BAY — The Salvation Army of Thunder Bay has set an ambitious $300,000 goal for its annual kettle campaign.
Gary Ferguson, executive director of the Salvation Army Journey to Life Centre, said unfortunately costs keep rising and the need in the community continues to grow each year.
But he’s confident the public will come through in 2024.
“It is a little bit ambitious, but through inflation what we’ve seen is all our costs have gone up anywhere from six to 25 per cent, depending on what we’re purchasing,” Ferguson said.
“We know that the community gives us a lot and we truly appreciate that. It’s an ambitious campaign, but we’re hoping to achieve it.”
Ferguson said the money raised isn’t just used during the Christmas season, but it helps fund programs throughout the year, which makes it a little bit different than other holiday fundraising events.
“We do things at Christmas with people and individuals and we have Christmas dinners and stuff like that. But we do also realize that throughout the year it’s a very difficult time for people in the community and there are a lot of organizations that are supporting families and individuals throughout the Christmas season,” Ferguson said.
“We’re part of that, but our fund also goes 365 days a year, so we’re out there in July, helping individuals. When Christmas is long gone and the tree is down, we’re out there doing that.”
Any amount helps, he added, noting that even a quarter can help cover the cost of a bowl of soup.
Knowing they need to maximize fundraising efforts, the Salvation Army of Thunder Bay has added more kettle locations this year, including both Canadian Tire locations and Vanderwees Garden Gallery.
Donations can be made both in cash and by card or phone with "tip tap" machines.
“We have tip taps throughout the community as well, and that’s important. You’ll see the tip taps at the counters and they’re also on the kettles as well,” Ferguson said.
“A lot of people just don’t carry cash anymore. It’s not that they don’t want to give, so we’re giving them an option to actually donate.”
Ferguson said there are plenty of reasons to give, pointing to a crisis in the city with individuals struggling with addictions, mental health and homelessness. It’s straining resources of organizations like the Salvation Army and others, while food-bank usage is up, often accessed by people who never dreamed they’d need a handout to survive.
Food insecurity is a huge issue, he added.
Of course, in order to collect the money, the Salvation Army needs a core of volunteers to come out solicit donations from the public.
There are still plenty of slots available, Ferguson said.
“Last year we had over 880 individuals who volunteered, but we’re always looking for volunteers – service groups, people who want to volunteer – because there are some down times and some locations available,” he said.
More information is available on the Journey to Life Centre Facebook page or by phoning 807-345-6492.
“We’ll be willing to set you up with a kettle time,” Ferguson said.
Stephen Margarit, past president with Fort William Rotary, helped kickstart the campaign, with a donation of $10,000, adding to a $6,000 cheque from Ontario Power generation, representing more than five per cent of the campaign goal.
“It’s always great to come here and give out the cheques. That’s one of the reasons we do the fundraising we do. But we also like to see the impact firsthand, so that’s why we’re volunteering at the kettles every Saturday throughout the campaign. It’s great to see the money coming in and it’s also great to see where the money is going.”
Kettles can be found in traditional spots, such as Intercity Shopping Centre, LCBO outlets and the Superstore.
