Maj. Roger Duperree said the Army hopes to raise $390,000 for its Lehigh Valley operations -- which serve about 30,000 people a year.
View full sizeSalvation Army bell ringer Dori Thompson, of Bethlehem, sits Tuesday near Weis Markets inside Westgate Mall in the city. The Army said the need for donations this year is greater than ever as they begin their red kettle campaign for 2011.And the organizations that aid the needy need a boost as well.
"It has been one of the most difficult years on record," said Salvation Army Maj. Roger Duperree, who serves as the Lehigh Valley coordinator.
The Army's familiar red kettles are out for the holiday season, and Duperree said the Army needs donations more than ever, and not just to fund an annual toy drive for disadvantaged kids, or to give meals to families throughout the season.
Duperree said the Army hopes to raise $390,000 for its Lehigh Valley operations -- which serve about 30,000 people a year.
"That's only about 10 percent of our budget," Duperree said, "but it is a critical 10 percent."
Jose Santiago, who heads the Army's Easton area efforts, said his branch has ballooned from 400 families receiving aid last July to more than 1,800 today. Part of that rise was a focus on serving the Hispanic community, but times are tough for more of the Valley.
"The need is greater," Santiago said, "significantly more than last year."
Santiago said in Easton more than 1,200 children have enrolled in the Army's toy program for Christmas. In Bethlehem, the number is expected to exceed 2,000, according to the area leader Tim Lavenbein.
"We just need everybody's support," Lavenbein said. "The need is all the time. People are in need all the time."
The Salvation Army red kettle drive runs through Dec. 24.