Give-A-Christmas helps Salvation Army reach out to local communities
GOAL: $50,000
CURRENT TOTAL: $60
When people are in trouble, they look to the Salvation Army for help.
“This is a place to turn when you have an emergency,” said Sister Audrey Quinn, director of the Salvation Army Greene County Service Center.
“There’s always a need,” said Lt. Larry Fulmer, commanding officer and pastor of the Uniontown Salvation Army Worship and Service Center. “At the Salvation Army, we’re doing a small part in the greater scheme of life’s issues and struggles.”
The Herald-Standard’s Give-A-Christmas campaign is hoping to raise $50,000 this holiday season to assist the Salvation Army in reaching neighbors in local communities. The current total stands at $60.
The Salvation Army uses a variety of funds to help people — some funds are their own while they act as a liaison for others.
“The Salvation Army is extensive in its help,” noted Quinn.
Individual Salvation Army units operate within designated communities, handling local needs.
“Some people are working and need a hand up,” said Fulmer. “Others aren’t working and need help — some have been laid off, some lost jobs due to family situations. There’s a variety of reasons.”
“There’s a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck,” said Mary McKnight, director of the Connellsville-Scottdale Service Center.
Most units provide help in emergency situations with utilities and sometimes with rent.
Some provide groceries through food pantries while Uniontown operates a soup kitchen that offers hot meals.
Greene County maintains a warehouse where 821 people in October were able to shop for free for clothing, furniture, household items, books and toys.
Many units provide toys for children and some offer gifts for senior citizens during the holidays. Some units distribute school supplies and winter clothing while some units send youths to summer camp.
“There’s a lot of needs out there,” said Audrey Savage, chairwoman of the Markleysburg Service Unit.
Sparkle, the Christmas star is asking Herald-Standard readers to help the Salvation Army through the Give-A-Christmas.
“The Salvation Army is there to offer assistance a lot of people,” said Sparkle, who is official mascot for the Give-A-Christmas campaign. “Won’t you help us help the Salvation Army?”
Sparkle is asking readers to support the Herald-Standard Give-A-Christmas Day that is being held in partnership with the Salvation Army from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 4.
All Herald-Standard executives, directors and other employees who volunteer will be out at 20 locations throughout the readership area, passing out newspapers to people who make contributions to the campaign.
Readers can also contribute by making online donations to the campaign at salvationarmywpa.org/GiveAChristmas, mailing contributions to Give-A-Christmas, c/o Herald-Standard, 8-18 E. Church St., Uniontown, PA 15401 or bringing them to the Herald-Standard office in Uniontown from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Sparkle cans also have been placed in numerous store locations in the Herald-Standard distribution area.
Donations to the campaign will be accepted until noon on Dec. 23 and the grand total will be announced in the Christmas Eve edition of the Herald-Standard.