ID 25131189 | Charity © Brentdavis | Dreamstime.com

By Tanner Smith

Donations down

Salvation Army feeling the effects of the Canada Post strike

Dec 9, 2024 | 9:39 AM

Salvation Army Christmas Kettle donations are down this year, thanks to the ongoing post-strike.

Captain Peter Kim with the Grande Prairie Salvation Army asked residents at the start of the month to visit kettles in person to donate instead of through the mail; the annual Christmas Kettle Campaign has raised two-thirds of what it already collected a year ago.

National donation totals fell 50 per cent when the strike began, which is a drop of $9.3 million.

This drop in donations could lead to more long-term issues for the not-for-profit. Salvation Army Lt. Cornel John Murray called mail-in donations “the bedrock” of its fundraising efforts with 65 per cent of annual fundraising happening between the start of November and the end of December.

However, online donations have increased by $100,000 in the last week.

Locally, the Grande Prairie Salvation Army is trying to raise $650,000, up from $500,000 in previous years due to growing demand.

As of December 2, $96,136.87, had been raised.

The post-strike now enters its twenty-fifth day.