(The Salvation Army Red Deer website)

By Alessia Proietti

Supporting local initiatives

Red Deer’s Salvation Army seeking volunteers to help reach Christmas Kettle Campaign fundraising goal

Nov 20, 2023 | 1:38 PM

The Red Deer Salvation Army Church & Community Services says they are currently looking for volunteers to help with their annual Christmas Kettle Campaign.

Running from mid-November to December 23, the charity organization can be spotted at various locations across the city with their signature red kettles, fundraising to support their year-round initiatives to help those in need.

Major Kent Hepditch, Pastor for the local Salvation Army, says they have roughly 150 volunteers each year scattered at their 16 locations in Red Deer, Innisfail, and Sylvan Lake. As it is early in the season, he says they still need more volunteers until Christmas to fill over 2,400 hours of volunteer time.

“I just want to say thank you to the community for their great support; they come through every year and are very supportive of us and thank you to all our great volunteers as well. I know there are people that volunteer just about every day of the campaign,” he said.

Last year, he says they were able to raise almost $230,000, and hopes to hit $250,000 this year with the addition of a new location at the Walmart in Sylvan Lake.

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“It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year and there’s a lot of need in our community. We don’t always see it until we’re maybe in the downtown area but there’s a lot of people who really rely on us to help feed them,” he said.

Hepditch notes a large portion of their funds go towards their Weekend Backpack Meal Program, partnering with 25 schools in Red Deer to provide food for around 260 middle and high school students from Friday to Sunday evening. Backpacks are dropped off at the schools each week with easy-to-prepare meals like breakfast oatmeal packets, microwavable dishes, and granola bars.

Hepditch adds, the need is growing as they are receiving requests from schools outside city boundaries.

Other programs at the Salvation Army include their year-round food bank providing around 70 food hampers a month to individuals and families, bread and diaper programs, and emergency household items and antibiotics assistance, among others.

The organization also offers once-in-a-lifetime programs like the:

• Bed program: 10 singe beds per quarter are available for families in need
• Hospital to Home program: food and personal care products for individuals leaving or entering a hospital for a long period of time
• Emergency utility assistance: for families who are facing disconnection but not eviction

For the holiday season, the Salvation Army is currently accepting applications for their Christmas Assistance (Adopt-A-Family) program, matching those in need with a sponsor family to provide gifts and food gift cards. Those interested can also donate these items individually to be packaged by volunteers and distributed to applicants.

They will also be serving a free Christmas lunch on December 22 at noon for the public, with ham donated by the local Olymel.

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