The “jingle” you hear from the bells shaken by Salvation Army Red Kettle volunteers could be those of alarm as Christmas time donations across the province, and Richmond specifically, are down significantly.
Maj. Kathie Chiu, who along with her husband Maj. Ed Chiu, are responsible for the Salvation Army’s local fundraiser, said donations are projected to drop by as much as 27 per cent over last year’s total once the kettles are packed away for another year on the afternoon of Dec. 24.
And that could mean trimming numerous local programs that include providing needy families with a weekly meal, and youngsters with a summer camp experience.
It could also lead to postponing plans for new programs, such as help for young, single moms.
“Last year, we brought in about $170,000 from the kettles in Richmond,” said Kathie. “We’ve done the calculations, factoring in the traditional rise in donations as we get closer to Christmas, and we expect to end up with a total around $125,000.”
A recent advisory from the Salvation Army’s provincial arm stated donation projections from the 2,000 kettles or so collection across B.C. could be even more dour with a decline in the 50 per cent range.
Salvation Army spokeswoman Lauren Chan said that to date, donations are down by about $350,000 compared to the same time last year, making this year’s provincial goal of $4 million hard to achieve, she added.
“Richmond has some of the most generous people anywhere,” Kathie said, adding she has grappled for an explanation of the pending drop off in donations.
One possible reason she came up with is a steady decline in the number of the most willing donors — those in the late middle age to seniors age groups.
“Those are the ones who seem to give the most and we are losing more and more of them,” Kathie said. “The younger generation are no less generous, but tend to want to be involved rather than write a cheque.”
Perhaps, Canadians are generally tightening their purse strings?
According to the Fraser Institute’s annual Generosity Index, Canadians are getting thriftier when it comes to donating to charity — not only thanks to a decline in the numbers of people making a donation, but generally how much they donate as a percentage of their income.
Over at the Richmond Christmas Fund, estimates indicate its goal of $200,000 in donations is within reach, said spokesman Ryan Luetzen.
Some of the fund’s campaigns reached all-time highs this season, Luetzen said, with the Richmond Automall’s Windows of Hope raising $30,000 in its 11th year of being held, and the Christmas Drive Thru totaling $10,000.
Kathie said getting enough volunteers to preside over the red collection kettles — usually two to four-hour shifts until the afternoon of Dec. 24 — is an ongoing challenge. To volunteer in Richmond, call 604-277-2424.
