Salvation Army Ramps Up Efforts to Meet Record-High Community Need

The Salvation Army of Watertown has entered its critical fundraising period with a strong emphasis on community support, as demand for its services has dramatically increased this year. Captain Dennis Jolly confirmed that the organization is relying on its annual Red Kettle campaign and local partnerships to reach its $244,000 Christmas goal, which sustains year-round operations.

Jolly stated that the need for assistance is "greater than ever before." The organization saw a massive surge in demand for food assistance after federal SNAP benefits were frozen, with daily visits for food boxes jumping from 30–40 to over 60. This trend was also reflected in holiday service numbers: the Salvation Army provided over 450 Thanksgiving food boxes this year, up from 182 last year, serving more than 1,200 people.

"If we don’t meet that goal of $244,000, we have to figure out where we’re going to cut," Jolly stated, noting that the organization has successfully avoided such cuts for the last five years thanks to the community's generosity.

Volunteerism and Matching Programs Double Impact

A key element of the campaign is the call for volunteers, particularly for the Red Kettle program. Data shows that a volunteer bell ringer generates approximately $52 per hour, more than doubling the $21 per hour brought in by paid ringers.

The Salvation Army has also scheduled three high-impact matching days to encourage donations:

• December 5th ("5s on the 5th"): Matched every $5 bill up to $2,000, thanks to donations from Moffitt Products and an anonymous group.

• December 10th ("10s on the 10th"): Trav’s Outfitter will match every $10 bill up to $2,500.

• December 20th ("20s on the 20th"): First Premier Bank and Bank Card will match every $20 bill up to $5,000.

"These match days are very important because they make your giving double," Jolly explained.

Year-Round Services and Angel Tree Efforts

The Christmas fundraising effort supports the Salvation Army’s essential year-round services, including:

• A Food Pantry, which remains stocked with a classroom full of sorted food due to recent food drives.

• Utility and Rental Assistance.

• A Meal Program serving hot meals free of charge every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at noon. The program has served over 15,000 meals this year.

In addition to year-round services, the Angel Tree program is set to provide Christmas for over 570 children this year. Parents can shop for their children's gifts (returned unwrapped) to maintain the "honor and the privilege and the dignity" of providing Christmas for their family.

Local partnerships are also boosting the campaign. The Watertown Shamrocks hockey team is serving as the honorary Christmas Chairs, logging over 80 hours of volunteer ringing and breaking records for both kettle donations and the Teddy Bear Toss, with the stuffed animals going directly to Angel Tree children.

The Salvation Army, located on 4th Street, reminds the public that donations can be made online via a QR code on any kettle or at the dedicated website, and that 82 cents of every dollar remains in the Watertown community. To volunteer, individuals or corporate groups can sign up at registertoring.com.