Salvation Army anticipating greater need as Christmas Kettle Campaign begins

The launch of the annual Christmas Kettle Campaign comes at a time when more people are relying on the Salvation Army’s services. CTV’s Dylan Dyson reports.

The Salvation Army says it is anticipating more people will seek out its services this holiday season amid the rising cost of living and tight holiday budgets.

The Salvation Army launched its national Christmas Kettle Campaign on Tuesday, its largest fundraiser of the year.

The organization is asking Canadians to give generously this year, noting a 3.6 per cent increase in community and family services, and support for seniors last year.

Locally in Ottawa, financial worry is being compounded by the federal government’s latest budget, which is expected to cut 28,000 jobs over the next five years.

Across Ottawa, 30 kettles have been placed at locations such as malls, grocery stores, Walmart stores, LCBOs, and Costco stores.

“Those donations are supporting neighbors with things like food insecurity, assistance with housing or making sure that people don’t have to make those impossible choices between paying the rent or putting food on the table,” says Salvation Army spokesperson Glenn van Gulik.

“Families want to have a nice Christmas as well for their children, so for sure, food is a big one,” adds Wendy Wallis, the chaplain at the Salvation Army’s Bethany Hope Centre in Ottawa.

“With the cost of food going up like crazy, a lot of parents are struggling just to either make ends meet or to make it even just a little bit more special.”

The Salvation Army has a goal of raising $325,000 this season through kettles in Ottawa, with all proceeds going back to support local families.

Specifically, the two kettles located at Carlingwood Shopping Centre and the kettle at the Real Canadian Superstore on Richmond Road go directly back to the Bethany Hope Centre on Woodroffe Avenue.

“One hundred per cent of the proceeds from those kettles comes back here into our center,” says Sandra Randall, executive director at the Bethany Hope Centre. “And that money is used for program supplies. It is to help us to stock ourselves that we have here in our food share.”

The Christmas Kettle Campaign runs nationally until Christmas Eve. But with an expectation of restricted budgets and the need to stretch donations among more people seeking services, those working at the Salvation Army sites in Ottawa are unsure of reaching the fundraising goals.

“We haven’t really been able to reach our goals that we’ve set out just for this ministry unit specifically,” says Randall. “We’re hoping this year that it’ll be a different year, and we can reach that goal of $50,000.”

“I’m always floored by the generosity of our community,” adds Wallis. “But I think our goal keeps going up, but it never meets the goal yet.”

• Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App