The Salvation Army is well behind their end-of-year fundraising goal with just a week left to make up a $1.8 million deficit.
Lt. Colonel Dan Jennings, Salvation Army Northern Division commander, telling WCCO Radio the organization usually gets flooded with donations during the last week of the calendar year, but that normally averages around $800,000 per year. That would still leave them around $1 million short.
“We don’t want to say it’s impossible because stranger things have happened in this world,” Jennings said. “We can still get there, but it does mean we need a significant amount of help throughout the Twin Cities.”
Donations are 16% behind the organization’s 2021 pace. All donors that give through the end of the year will have their impact doubled, thanks to a $1 million dollar challenge match pooled by several anonymous donors.
If the Salvation Army falls short of the fundraising goal, services will likely be cut. More than 60% of the organization’s annual revenue is raised during this end-of-year Christmas fundraiser and Jennings said they don’t have much room to cut administrative costs. Roughly 85 cents of every dollar raised goes back into the community.
And it comes at a time when more people are looking to the Salvation Army than ever before, Jennings said. Nationally, the Salvation Army is seeing a 30% increase in demand for services due to the effect of inflation on families.
Inflation has proved to be a double-edged sword for the Salvation Army. It has caused record demand for the organization’s services and pushed the Salvation Army to increase their budget by about $1.5 million for 2023. But it also pinched the pockets of donors. Jennings said donors have largely been able to push through economic challenges the last two years, but not as much this year.
“This is that third year in a row that we’ve seen difficulties in the economy and I think finally that tail whip at the end is hitting those donors and making it harder for them to give. We can survive a year, maybe two and people can still give at the same level but we think this year is the year it’s really impacting donors,” Jennings said.
Still, Jennings said there is a strong donor base that gives him optimism they could reach their goals. The Salvation Army is on pace to receive more money in 2022 than it did in 2019, it’s the increased demand that has kept them below their fundraising goal.
“The charitable community has an ability to help us get there,” Jennings said. “They’ve always stepped up in the past to make sure we could get what we need to serve the people in this community. I’m so grateful for the long history of the donors here. Of all the regions I’ve served in the Salvation Army, the Twin Cities is absolutely the most generous.”
Donations can be made at SalvationArmyNorth.org. Interested donors can also Text MATCH to 24-365 and follow the prompts. Mail in donations are also accepted, addressed to The Salvation Army, 2445 Prior Ave N, Roseville, MN 55113.
