Community Corner
Salvation Army Donations Down
Salvation Army bell-ringers and red kettles are a fixture outside Cumberland Mall and other metro Atlanta stores during the holidays.
The Salvation Army says donations are down 34 percent this season.
The organization has issued the following statement:
The need has sharply increased with continued unemployment and underemployment. More people are turning to The Salvation Army for assistance with food, clothing, utilities and shelter. This shortfall in donations is critical for many in the Atlanta Community. Donations that are received during the holiday are not just for toys and Christmas cheer; they support the elderly, homeless and needy families with children in the 13 counties that The Salvation Army Metro Atlanta serves.
“It will be very difficult to meet these needs if we don’t meet our goal, said Major Marshall Gesner, Metro Atlanta Area Commander, in the statement. "Our centers are flooded with calls everyday for help with food, shelter and clothing.”
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Gesner said many supporters have increased economic worries. “We will continue to pray that those in Atlanta that can give, do so and those that have already given, consider giving just a little more,” he added.
The Salvation Army in Atlanta provided 139,249 meals to homeless men, women and children and assisted over 43,000 people with rent utilities and food thus far in 2011.
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To make a donation call 404-486-2900 or visit www.salvationarmyatlanta.org.
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