Eastern Iowa Salvation Army fundraising campaigns see mixed results

With annual red kettle campaigns closed or winding down, the Eastern Iowa Salvation Army Corps have seen mixed success so far in reaching their respective holiday fundraising goals.

While Johnson County Salvation Army needs only about $43,000 to reach its $325,000 target, Salvation Army of Cedar Rapids is roughly $140,000 short of its $790,000 goal and Salvation Army of Waterloo-Cedar Falls still needs about $190,000 to reach its $730,000 goal.

Trisha Smith, development director with Johnson County's Corps, said the Iowa City fundraising goal represents 60 percent of the center's annual budget, and red kettle donations make up 'a significant portion” of the holiday campaign.

'It's very vital that we meet that goal so that we can continue to do the things we have on a daily basis,” she said. 'We've had a very successful campaign so far.”

Smith said the donations not only help out those who use the Corps' services, but funds go to local programs such as daily meals, vouchers for clothing or gas, and emergency assistance.

'That money stays in the community,” she said.

Johnson County's red kettles were removed Dec. 24, but the local Corps, located at 1116 Gilbert Court in Iowa City, will continue collecting donations through the month of January, including online donations and a new Big Ten Golden Kettle Club program that seeks local businesses to match a $10,000 donation pledge from University of Iowa Community Credit Union.

While Salvation Army Corps in Linn and Blackhawk counties each have raised more than $500,000 this season, both have more than $100,000 left to bring in to reach their respective goals.

Officials with the Salvation Army of Cedar Rapids, which serves Linn County, located at 1000 C Ave. NW in Cedar Rapids, has raised about $650,000 of its $790,000 target.

'It's still a decent amount away from our goal, but following trends in earlier years we're about $30,000 away from where we should have been,” Lia Pontarelli, director of development with the Linn County organization, said last week. 'We're still in big need of trying to reach that goal.”

Large donations are common leading up to New Years and in January, Pontarelli said, so officials remain confident that funds will be achieved to support local programs such as free meals, youth programs and case management.

'It has a very lasting impact,” she said of the holiday donations.

Grace Kole, development director with Salvation Army of Waterloo-Cedar Falls, located at 89 Franklin St. in Waterloo, said the organization has raised almost $540,000 toward its $730,000 goal. That goal makes up 40 percent of the group's annual budget.

As with other Corps, funds are used to supplement local efforts such as the organization's three emergency shelters and well as weekday free meal, emergency assistance and youth programs.

'That's why it's so important - we don't reach the goal, what we have to starting in January is where we need to make some adjustments and we don't want to do that,” Kole said. 'We want to keep offering the services that we know are needed.

'That's why it's so important - we don't reach the goal, what we have to (do) starting in January is …

we need to make some adjustments, and we don't want to do that,” Kole said. 'We want to keep offering the services that we know are needed.”

Kole said donations are down quite a bit compared to last year's campaign, which she said is comparable to national trends in which Corps are seeing lower donations and fewer volunteers.

'We're about $120,000 behind last year's pace,” she said. 'That is a little bit more than usual. Normally we're not this far behind.”

But efforts will continue. A mailing campaign will kick off early this year and donations are still collected online.

'I would say we're praying,” Smith said. 'We have the faith we will be provided with what we need to provide the services that are needed.”