MADISON, Wis. — The Salvation Army of Dane County says its holiday Red Kettle campaign fell thousands of dollars short of its half-million dollar goal.
In a news release Thursday morning, Salvation Army officials said that the total collected as of the last day of their 2022 Red Kettle campaign was $466,029.55 — about $34,000 short of the $500,000 goal.
The Salvation Army blamed the shortfall on outbreaks of flu and RSV, as well as snow and extreme cold in the final days of the campaign, which limited foot traffic past the kettles at many local shopping locations.
“Ringers and shoppers alike stayed home, for good reason, during this time,” the Salvation Army of Dane County’s Executive Director of Philanthropy Steve Heck said.
The Salvation Army says there are still opportunities for people to donate if they want to help close the gap. In addition to other upcoming fundraising events, people can donate now through a virtual fundraiser or by sending a check with “Red Kettle” in the memo line.
Checks can be sent to the Salvation Army at 3030 Darbo Dr., Madison, WI 53714.
“We cannot thank our community enough for the continued support they show us year in and year out, and ultimately reaching our goal would be a giant milestone that they can be proud of,” Heck said.
The Salvation Army says the Red Kettle Campaign accounts for about a quarter of its annual fundraising budget, with that money going toward paying for many of the organization’s services year-round, including the emergency family shelter, the single women’s shelter, emergency disaster relief, and youth mentoring.
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