Salvation Army National Kettle Campaign Rings in Successful Year
The numbers are in and The Salvation Army is calling its recent Christmas fundraising campaign a success. From coast to coast Canadians refused to forget the critical needs of the communities in which they live and pushed campaign results over the top.
The 2010 National Kettle campaign greatly exceeded the campaign target of $18 million. The money so generously donated by our supporters:
- provided more than 258,000 toys that were given to 100,000 children
- assisted more than 38,000 families and
- provided more than 7,000 meals to the hungry.
The Christmas season saw many heart-warming stories such as a doll donated in memory of a child who died, and four young brothers who raised their own money and donated a bike for a toy drive. And, after a lengthy shift, a kettle worker received these encouraging words from a passerby: “ Don’t’ worry, we’ll make sure you get what you need.”
A thank-you letter delivered to The Salvation Army is a poignant reminder of just how important its Christmas efforts are to children and families in need. In the letter; hand-written in crayon on a piece of paper towel, Sisters Yasmine, Katherine and Nadine each offered thanks for the gifts they had received.
Says Commissioner William W. Francis, Territorial Commander for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda:
“I want to thank everyone who donated, to the thousands of bell-ringers who stood for countless hours at kettles across this vast nation, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the malls, retail chains and stores that welcomed us in this Christmas, We couldn’t raise the funds we need to help vulnerable and marginalized people without the support of our many dear friends and partners.”
