Wichita area Salvation Army trying to overcome $250,000 campaign shortfall

The nonprofit with the slogan “Doing the Most Good” is $250,000 short on its fundraising campaign that pours back into helping Sedgwick County’s vulnerable.

The Salvation Army, along with other area philanthropic organizations, said that demands for its services have increased during the pandemic. Uncertain times amid a pandemic influenced the organization’s decision to start the Christmas campaign early for the first time in 130 years.

“With a 300% increase in utility assistance, nearly 200% increase of food requests, we are amazed at the need from families who have never been in need before,” The Salvation Army’s Wichita City Commander Major James Curl said in a Nov. 1 news release. ‘It’s for these friends and families that we will ‘Rescue Christmas.’”

The organization said this week that donations are up 11% from last year despite “fewer red kettles deployed” in the area, but they’re still $250,000 short of the $1.5 million goal. The annual fundraiser goes through January.

Curl said they started the campaign with concerns after the pandemic caused an economic downturn.

“And then we realized the nature of our community to give,” he said.

Still, Curl said they could “move forward with confidence for a brighter 2021” if they could reach the $1.5 million goal.

In addition to the utility assistance and food pantry, The Salvation Army also operates an emergency shelter and offers case management to help people rise from poverty.

Donations will be accepted through January and can be sent directly to The Salvation Army Downtown Koch-Center at 350 N. Market; Wichita, KS 67202, or online at salvationarmy-wichita.org.