Salvation Army sees drop in donations during holidays

The local Salvation Army says the holidays are when they receive the majority of their donations, but COVID-19 is causing them to see a big drop this year.

Jonathan Harvey, a captain in the Salvation Army, says the Salvation Army Northwest has seen a 25% drop in kettle donations this year. Those are the donations dropped in the buckets you see outside of stores.

“There’s less foot traffic at stores. We have less kettles outside stores. So, both of those factors and other things as well are impacting the amount of income that’s coming through those red kettles,” said Harvey.

Harvey says COVID-19 is keeping shoppers away from stores and keeping volunteers away from the kettles.

So, the Salvation Army Northwest is getting creative with how people can donate.

This year you can go online and donate directly. You can also use the QR codes posted on the kettles if you do not have cash on you.

“I always donate to them. I would love to contribute more to them, and I would like to make people aware that, ‘please help these guys out. They are the people who need most this Christmas. So, make their Christmas joyful if you can,” said Mohit Maru as he donated to a kettle at the Fred Meyer in Bellevue.

Whatever way you do it, your donations can make a big change for someone in need, says Harvey.

“When you see the tears in the eyes of someone who has just received a food box because they desperately needed it, when you see someone receive the key to the front door of their new home, for the first time, who have been on the streets for years, that’s why it’s so important to drop money in those red kettles,” he said.

To donate to the Salvation Army online click here.