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Christmas Donations to Tampa Bay Salvation Army Are Down

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Income from donations to red kettles are down 12 percent compared with last year.

TAMPA BAY – There could be fewer meals for the hungry and beds for homeless if people in the Bay Area keep their purses and wallets closed as they pass those iconic red kettles while shopping this year, the Tampa Bay Salvation Army says.

So far, donations to those red kettles are down by more than 12 percent across the Tampa Bay Area, according to Capt. Andrew Miller, area commander for the Salvation Army of Tampa and Hillsborough County.

“With less than three weeks left before Christmas, we’re hoping that shoppers will think of their neighbors in need the next time they pass a Salvation Army bellringer and give what they can,” Miller said. “This is the time of year when the Salvation Army raises most of its individual contributions, so any drop in donations could negatively impact the Salvation Army’s ability to meet needs here in Tampa Bay.”

Gifts made to the Red Kettles help provide meals and shelter for families in need, Christmas toys for thousands of children, and many other services throughout the community. In Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties alone, the Salvation Army served more than 101,000 men, women, and children last year.

Besides making generous donations at the kettles, which are stationed in front of Publix, J.C. Penny, and Walmart stores and other local retailers in the Tampa Bay Area, the Salvation Army is encouraging the public to contribute.

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the U.S. About 30 million Americans receive assistance from the Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. Out of every dollar donated, 82 cents is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide.

For information or to donate online, go to SalvationArmyTampaBay.org. To donate by phone, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769).

Salvation Army | Red Kettles | Charity | Donations | Tampa Bay Reporter

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