Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Napanee’s Salvation Army is currently recruiting volunteers to help them navigate their busy season, which runs non-stop for the next month and a half.
Bright red kettles will be appearing at select stores across Greater Napanee next week, signifying the start of the Salvation Army’s annual holiday fundraising campaign.
Volunteers are needed to man the kettles at Metro, No Frills and Wal-Mart from Thursday to Saturdays throughout November, starting on Nov. 17. Once the calendar flips to December, a fourth pot will be set up at the LCBO and volunteers will be needed at all locations six days a week. Money dropped into the kettles help the Salvation Army assist families in need through their various year-round programs, including the food bank.
“We’re looking for two kind of roles to fill,” said Napanee Salvation Army volunteer coordinator Paul Mackay. “One is going to be the big one because there are over 300 (kettle) spots to fill over the six and a half weeks, then we’re looking for help in here (at their 81 Dairy Ave. offices). As the need increases, the pace of our life increases because of the amount of food orders that we get requested for on a weekly basis, I don’t know if we have exact statistics, but it’ll be up 50 per cent from prior to the pandemic this year which is an awful lot of families getting food. The cool part is this community, when they hear that, they respond.”
Volunteers at the Salvation Army building will be needed to help sort for the food bank program.
“What we try very hard to do is to make sure that the feel of the place is fun and warm and loving,” said Mackay. “There are days when it gets pretty hairy in here. Days were it just gets sneaky busy but the joking back and forth, the banter (keeps it fun).”
Anyone interested in volunteering can call 613-888-4426, email Paul.Mackay@SalvationArmy.ca or just drop by 81 Dairy Ave.
Abby Mills, director of community ministries for the Napanee Salvation Army says they hope to raise $75,000 during this year’s kettle campaign. Their annual letter appeal campaign will also be kicking off soon, which has a goal of $30,000.
“If we’re able to reach those goals it will set us up well for the coming year to be able to help the community at a time when demand is increases at an unbelievable pace,” said Mills. “It is not unusual for us to have 10 new households apply for service in the course of a week. We just see so many people reaching out to us for the first time who never expected they would be the ones calling on the food bank for help.”
Additionally, registration for Christmas Assistance will be done by phone again this year, running now until Nov. 30, with families with children 12 and under, who will receive toys registering by Nov. 18. Once again, local banks, Metro and Napanee Home Hardware will host toy trees, where people can choose a tag and purchase toys for kids at Christmas. Last year, more than 200 kids received toys through the Christmas Assistance program.
General registration for Christmas Assistance will open on Nov. 21 and will run until Nov. 30.
The Salvation Army Napanee’s Christmas Assistance number is 613-893-0884.
Distribution of Christmas assistance will take place, by appointment, during the weeks of Dec. 12 and Dec. 19.
The L&A County Paramedics are holding food drives for the Napanee food bank this Saturday and again on Dec. 10. Both of these food drives will take place at Metro.