By Jeff Henson

SALVATION ARMY

Salvation Army Christmas Appeal launches this week with increased goal for 2022.

Nov 13, 2022 | 8:00 AM

A Christmas season tradition in Grande Prairie is set to kick off later this week.

The annual Salvation Army Christmas Kettle campaign begins Thursday morning at the Prairie Mall.

Captain Peter Kim with the local Salvation Army says the goal for the campaign this year is $600,000, up slightly from their $575,000 goal from last year.

“We have done the calculation based on our population, and last year we served twenty per cent of our population. That is one in five people who are accessing the food bank and have food insecurity in Grande Prairie. That is a huge number, with 44 per cent of them being children under the age of 18. Plus there was also a three per cent increase in our seniors who are accessing the food bank.”

Captain Kim with the Grande Prairie Salvation Army says the money raised during the campaign funds the services they provide throughout the year.
That includes the Food Bank, as well as their Community Kitchen.

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“It is a partnership with the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre. It feeds breakfast, lunch and supper to families and individuals who are in need. It is a hot meal, and last year we went up to 43-thousand plus meals. But we are already at 58-thousand plus meals as of August (of this year), so we are anticipating that the number of meals we will serve will be 88-thousand by the end of this year.”

There is also a mail-in component to the campaign, where the business community is asked to make financial contributions.

Captain Kim says there is also a tap option to their kettle campaign where the public can donate by tapping their debit or credit cards at the kettles.

He adds as is the case every year, volunteers are needed to man the kettles.

“They can do a two-hour shift at certain locations throughout the city, mainly at the supermarkets and the mall and Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire. It is a great tradition and a great way to volunteer.”

If you can spare some time, you are asked to call 780-296-3946.