Charity struggles to make up economic losses from outright ban by a large nationwide chain
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Nickel by nickel, dime by dime, the Salvation Army collected some $1.1 million last holiday season from shoppers filing into and out of New Jersey stores.
This year, those coins of good will -- which help serve hundreds of thousands of the state's needy -- are harder to come by.
More major retailers are becoming less welcoming to the Salvation Army's bell-ringing solicitors and their red metal kettles. A few years ago, Wal-Mart began limiting the number of days volunteers could set up their kettles. Some ShopRite stores are doing the same.
Big-box stores like Home Depot and Lowe's have never allowed bell ringers, nor have retailers Barnes & Noble, Toys "R" Us, Circuit City and Kohl's.
"I think they are afraid shoppers will be impeded by solicitors," said Major George Hood, the Salvation Army's national spokesman.
This year, Target has banned the bell ringers outright.
"That has a major impact on us," said Nancy Wellbrock, development director of the Salvation Army New Jersey Division. "It's a big chunk."
Target shoppers tossed some $200,000 worth of coins into the kettles last year, accounting for 17 percent of the New Jersey Salvation Army's total collection.
The Minnesota-based company has barred solicitors at its stores for years -- but always made an exception for the Salvation Army. After repeated requests from other charities for equal access, the company decided last January to make its ban complete.
"We couldn't continue to say yes to one group and say no to others," said Paula Thornton-Greear, a spokeswoman for Target, which operates a foundation that donates $2 million each week to charity.
Founded in the 19th century out of the London slums that Charles Dickens made infamous, the Salvation Army is now a global organization that provides food, clothing and disaster relief.
Much of its funding comes from its annual kettle collection.
The Christian organization collected $93.8 million last year in the United States in its red kettles between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Close to $9 million came from donations in front of Target, which boasts 1,313 stores nationwide, and was the Salvation Army's second most profitable location, after WalMart.
"Any time we lose a red kettle location, we are disappointed," said Theresa Whitfield, spokeswoman for the Salvation Army's national office. But losing Target, she said, is particularly tough.
"Some smaller communities made 75 percent of their income in front of Targets," Hood said.
Target told the Salvation Army of the ban 11 months ago, Thornton-Greear said, hoping it would give the organization time to prepare.
To make up for the loss, the Salvation Army has been scrambling to find new stores and has gained permission to send bell ringers to a few retailers, such as Books A Million -- with 200 stores in 18 states -- AutoZone and Big Lots.
In New Jersey, it's been tough to find replacements, said Tricia Pellegrini, a spokeswoman.
"You have to remember the traffic is huge at Target stores," she said. "You need five or six small local stores to bring in what one Target does."
The blow comes during a particularly tough year, she said. As the economy continues to stumble, Pellegrini said, requests for food donations and help with utility bills have nearly doubled in some parts of the state compared to years past.
"Many people have lost their jobs due to downsizing," she said.
Thornton-Greear of Target said the Salvation Army is eligible to apply for grants under the corporation's giving guidelines. "To this date they have not provided a proposal that fits those guidelines," she said in a written statement.
Meanwhile, the Salvation Army is hoping to push donors accustomed to tossing coins into red kettles to donate online, Pellegrini said.
If that doesn't work, there's another plan.
"There is a point where you have to say, 'Well, we can't help as many people,'" Pellegrini said. "That certainly isn't something we want to do, but the Salvation Army relies on donations."
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Nickel by nickel, dime by dime, the Salvation Army collected some $1.1 million last holiday season from shoppers filing into and out of New Jersey stores.
This year, those coins of good will -- which help serve hundreds of thousands of the state's needy -- are harder to come by.
More major retailers are becoming less welcoming to the Salvation Army's bell-ringing solicitors and their red metal kettles. A few years ago, Wal-Mart began limiting the number of days volunteers could set up their kettles. Some ShopRite stores are doing the same.
Big-box stores like Home Depot and Lowe's have never allowed bell ringers, nor have retailers Barnes & Noble, Toys "R" Us, Circuit City and Kohl's.
"I think they are afraid shoppers will be impeded by solicitors," said Major George Hood, the Salvation Army's national spokesman.
This year, Target has banned the bell ringers outright.
"That has a major impact on us," said Nancy Wellbrock, development director of the Salvation Army New Jersey Division. "It's a big chunk."
Target shoppers tossed some $200,000 worth of coins into the kettles last year, accounting for 17 percent of the New Jersey Salvation Army's total collection.
The Minnesota-based company has barred solicitors at its stores for years -- but always made an exception for the Salvation Army. After repeated requests from other charities for equal access, the company decided last January to make its ban complete.
"We couldn't continue to say yes to one group and say no to others," said Paula Thornton-Greear, a spokeswoman for Target, which operates a foundation that donates $2 million each week to charity.
Founded in the 19th century out of the London slums that Charles Dickens made infamous, the Salvation Army is now a global organization that provides food, clothing and disaster relief.
Much of its funding comes from its annual kettle collection.
The Christian organization collected $93.8 million last year in the United States in its red kettles between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Close to $9 million came from donations in front of Target, which boasts 1,313 stores nationwide, and was the Salvation Army's second most profitable location, after WalMart.
"Any time we lose a red kettle location, we are disappointed," said Theresa Whitfield, spokeswoman for the Salvation Army's national office. But losing Target, she said, is particularly tough.
"Some smaller communities made 75 percent of their income in front of Targets," Hood said.
Target told the Salvation Army of the ban 11 months ago, Thornton-Greear said, hoping it would give the organization time to prepare.
To make up for the loss, the Salvation Army has been scrambling to find new stores and has gained permission to send bell ringers to a few retailers, such as Books A Million -- with 200 stores in 18 states -- AutoZone and Big Lots.
In New Jersey, it's been tough to find replacements, said Tricia Pellegrini, a spokeswoman.
"You have to remember the traffic is huge at Target stores," she said. "You need five or six small local stores to bring in what one Target does."
The blow comes during a particularly tough year, she said. As the economy continues to stumble, Pellegrini said, requests for food donations and help with utility bills have nearly doubled in some parts of the state compared to years past.
"Many people have lost their jobs due to downsizing," she said.
Thornton-Greear of Target said the Salvation Army is eligible to apply for grants under the corporation's giving guidelines. "To this date they have not provided a proposal that fits those guidelines," she said in a written statement.
Meanwhile, the Salvation Army is hoping to push donors accustomed to tossing coins into red kettles to donate online, Pellegrini said.
If that doesn't work, there's another plan.
"There is a point where you have to say, 'Well, we can't help as many people,'" Pellegrini said. "That certainly isn't something we want to do, but the Salvation Army relies on donations."
) when I pull into the parking lot of the grocery store or mall and hear that bell ringing I just get so irritated... I honestly can't explain it. It's almost like where are they the other 300 days of the year? I never get charity solicitations from the Salvation Army in the mail (as I do for many, many other organizations, to whom I almost always stick a couple of bucks into the return envelope)...
