With Christmas fast approaching, Salvation Army donations in Lake and Porter counties are lagging far behind expectations.
Cold and snow on heavy shopping days, a reduced number of volunteer bell ringers, and online shopping are all taking their toll, Major Troy Barker said.
“We’re not having as many volunteers ringing the bell this year,” he said. When bell ringers began seeking donations outside stores in mid-November, just eight bell ringers were on duty compared to the 18 the Salvation Army hoped to have, Barker said.
The Salvation Army hires bell ringers when there aren’t enough volunteers, helping unemployed people earn money before Christmas, but that also means getting less money for services throughout the year.
Bell ringer Pam Hay, of Valparaiso, is a volunteer bell ringer now that she’s retired but has been a Salvation Army supporter for years. On Wednesday, she used a tambourine while singing Christmas carols at Town & Country Market in Valparaiso.
“It’s worth it just to make people happy,” he said. “It seems to bring a lot of joy to a lot of people.”
Snowstorms on Saturdays, the heaviest Christmas shopping days, have also played a role.
“We look forward to that first snowfall, but sometimes that can play havoc,” Barker said.
“When the weather’s good on Saturday, we do well,” he said. But getting 6 to 8 inches of snow meant roads weren’t getting plowed and people weren’t getting out to shop and donate, he said.
This Saturday, just 12 days before Christmas, more snow is expected.
Shopping online instead of at retail stores also decreases the cash flow into the Salvation Army’s iconic red kettles.
Shoppers can drop coins or currency in the red kettle, as always, but they can now use their phones for tap-to-pay donations of $5, $10 or $20. Doing so, however, requires foot traffic at physical stores.
“I haven’t seen any of the retail numbers yet to see what’s happening in the stores,” Baker said, but he’s seen the kettle numbers.
As of Tuesday, only about 50% of the money needed to fund Salvation Army operations throughout 2026 had been raised.
Compared to last year, the need is high, he said. The temporary cutback on SNAP benefits sent 200 to 300 a month to Salvation Army food pantries. “We’re seeing a lot of new families, families we’ve never seen a record of coming to the Salvation Army as well,” Baker said.
“It’s not just raising money for Christmas. This helps support us throughout the year,” Baker said. “Need knows no season.”
Baker said he’s been with the Salvation Army for 55 years, since he was 7 years old and its services helped his single mom.
“I never forgot that as a child,” he said. “Here, all these years later, I still love what they do.”
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
