Mankato Salvation Army Collections are Down
MANKATO, Minn. – One of the traditional signs of the Christmas season is the sound of a ringing bell accompanied by the sight of a bell ringer at a Salvation Army red kettle. The Salvation Army has been ringing the bell here in Mankato since November 21 and shares an update on the collections.
The Red Kettle initiative is critical to The Salvation Army’s $525,000 holiday fundraising campaign, as nearly 80% of the organization’s funding is raised in the last three months of the year. These are funds that are needed to provide struggling families with meals, emergency shelter, and emergency financial assistance throughout the year.
December 1 does not just mark the start of a new month; it also marks the beginning of the countdown to Christmas. Christmas Eve is scheduled to be the last day for ringing those bells, so the clock is ticking. The Salvation Army reports it is at 15% of the massive goal, being down over $55,000 from this point in collections in the previous season. The Salvation Army red kettles continue to accept cash/coin/check, but also offer many safe and easy digital payment options, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, QR code scanning or text “KatoCares” to 24365 – donors may also deliver checks or cash in person to 700 S Riverfront Dr. for this campaign.
“We find ourselves way behind in collections” said Captain Andy Wheeler, one of the corps officers in Mankato. “We are not ready to panic just yet, because we believe in the good and generosity of this great community. We could still use more ringers – local businesses, service clubs, churches, neighborhood associations, families, friends, individuals, etc. We do remarkably better in the red kettle collections when their staffed by someone with a smile.”
Salvation Army red kettles continue to accept cash, but also offer many safe and easy digital payment options, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal, QR code scanning or text “KatoCares” to 24365.
Individuals, families, churches, businesses, neighborhood associations, and others can register to ring at www.registertoring.com
