If you can, you might want to donate to the Salvation Army's Christmas Kettle Campaign.
The campaign wraps up on Friday, but as of Monday, it was still $184,000 short of its $350,000 goal this year.
Executive Director Major Danny Pinksen said the agency relies on that money to fund its programs. Without it, it may have to make some hard decisions.
"Once we get to the end of the calendar year, we'll do an assessment of where we are, how much money we've taken in, and then we'll have to, I guess, decide at that point in time," he said.
He said the last thing the Salvation Army wants to do is cut programming.
The funding supports the Salvation Army's food bank, men's shelter, and meal program.
The meal program is currently on hold, but Pinksen said the plan is to restart it soon.
The programs are a lifeline for thousands of families, particularly at this time of year. Pinksen said 650 people registered for their Christmas dinner, and 2,000 children received toy bags this year.
Part of the reason donations are down is there aren't as many volunteers as usual. About 40 per cent of the campaign's helpers didn't return this year. Pinksen believes many people are still afraid to venture out during the pandemic, but it directly impacts how much money is donated.
"When we had volunteers standing next to our kettle stands, our kettles did amazing," he said.
The campaign officially ends on Friday, but Pinksen said the agency will take donations right up until the end of the year on its website.
