Donations to help locals in need have rolled in, despite a slow start to the season of giving.
A late push saw the Salvation ArmyB次元官网网址檚 annual Kettle Campaign hit the $170,000 mark by Friday.
B次元官网网址淭his brings us pretty close to last yearB次元官网网址檚 numbers, which is really good news, as (for) most of the campaign we were faced with a decrease in donations,B次元官网网址� said Salvation Army spokesperson Kyla Ferns.
The amount excluded money collected on Dec. 24, the final day of the campaign. Also to be added in are funds from the Salvation ArmyB次元官网网址檚 national online fundraiser fillthekettle.com, donations sent via text message, those made through a partnership with London Drugs and money from Black PressB次元官网网址� Pennies for Presents campaign.
Those amounts are expected to bring the campaign closer to last yearB次元官网网址檚 total of $220,000.
The final count will be tallied by mid-January.
Funds raised from the Kettle Campaign support year-round programming for local adults and youth in need.
Meanwhile, the United Way of Greater Victoria has also seen steady donations throughout its year-long fundraising campaign. As of Dec. 28, they were $500,000 short of their $6-million objective.
With the same goal last year the United Way raised $5.8 million.
This year, there is hope the goal will be met.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been very steady and weB次元官网网址檙e hopeful that weB次元官网网址檙e going to make our goal,B次元官网网址� said Janet Tudor, director of operations. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been working really hard and trying to get everything wrapped up, but weB次元官网网址檙e quite optimistic.B次元官网网址�
The final total for the campaign, which ended Dec. 31, are expected in mid-January.
Donations to the local United Way help fund nearly 70 social service agencies in the Capital Region, including AIDS Vancouver Island, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Victoria, Our Place Society and the Victoria READ Society, among others.
To learn more about the Salvation Army or to donate, visit salvationarmy.ca. For more information about the United Way, see uwgv.ca.
reporter@vicnews.com
