The Salvation Army is trying new strategies to raise money in the digital age.
Local contributions to the nonprofit's kettle campaign are down 13 percent from last year at this time.
The annual effort has been impacted by a number of things, including the closure of store locations like Sam's Club and Tops where bell ringers used to collect money.
"When I arrived in 2013 our kettle goal was $500,000,” said Major Doug Hart of the Salvation Army of Greater Rochester. “We've had to reduce it each and every year because of different stores closing. Now we're at $350,000 six Christmases later."
And something else has changed: People who might donate are less likely to have cash in their pocket or purse when they pass a kettle, so the Salvation Army has come up with another option: Donors can now text Rochester Kettle to 41444 and that will take you to a link where you can make an on line donation.
In 2017, the Salvation Army of Greater Rochester’s kettle goal was $400,000 and it was surpassed, with a total of $408,583 raised. But Hart said that was due in part to a one-time, single, $25,000 donation that is not expected this year.
The annual holiday campaign is not the organization’s biggest fundraiser. Money sent in by donors throughout the year accounted for over $1 million in 2017 and city, county, state, and federal funding contributed another $1.7 million. The Salvation Army also gets United Way funding each year for its emergency family assistance and youth shelter and more is raised through a golf tournament and gifts in kind.
The Salvation Army's main mission is to provide shelter, food, and support for men women and youth who are marginalized, living in poverty, or facing a crisis.
Hart said the nonprofit is still looking for new funding sources and trying to do the most with the resources they have.
"We're just at a stage now where we're gonna have to really face the reality of what can we do to continue the service we can do and continuing our promise to do the most good with the services we have,” he said. “Unlike the government, we can't print the money."
There is also a need for more bell ringers between now and Christmas Eve, when the kettle campaign ends. Hart said some hardy souls brave the cold for six hours to collect donations, but the standard request is for people to volunteer for a two-hour shift. Visit RegistertoRing.com to sign up.
