Salvation Army Makes Final Plea to Meet Goal in Massachusetts

The Salvation Army issued a final plea Thursday for a push in donations to meet this year's fundraising goal in Massachusetts.

The organization says it is currently $1.5 million short of its goal, as Red Kettle donations have declined this year. With fewer than two days in the campaign, which ends Christmas Eve, The Salvation Army estimates the total collected at just over $2 million.

According to The Salvation Army, several communities have seen a reduction in donations; compared to last year, Lawrence is down 59 percent, Fitchburg and Salem are down 28 percent, and Boston is down 20-35 percent.

"With charitable contributions making up the majority of the annual funding of The Salvation Army it is essential that we meet our Red Kettle Campaign goal for this year," Maj. Gregory Hartshorn, general secretary of the Massachusetts Salvation Army, said in a statement. "We desperately depend on generosity at this time of year so we can continue outreach to hundreds of thousands of individuals, families and seniors who are directly assisted by our programs and services."

In Massachusetts, The Salvation Army provides programs to feed the hungry, toys for children at Christmas and after-school and childcare services throughout the year. Donations help house the homeless, rehabilitate those suffering from substance abuse and establish services for families after fires and other disasters.

Last year The Salvation Army provided more than 2.1 million meals, close to 300,000 nights of shelter and more than 100,000 opportunities for children in Massachusetts through fundraising, according to the organization.

Patch File Photo