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SA Red Kettle drive in Valley raises $451K
YOUNGSTOWN
The 2011 Salvation Army Red Kettle campaigns in Mahoning and Trumbull counties met or nearly met their goals, enabling them to continue providing services at current levels.
The Red Kettle bell ringers in Mahoning County and a new Red Kettle sponsorship program brought in $308,980 during the campaign conducted Nov. 10 to Wednesday, exceeding the $300,000 goal.
“I think this is the best campaign we’ve had,” said Major Elijah O. Kahn, who with his wife, Major Valerie Kahn, head Salvation Army Mahoning County Area Services.
“This is huge for the Mahoning County Salvation Army and will help sustain the valuable, life- changing programs and services it provides year round,” Kahn said.
Among its services and programs are a soup kitchen that operates six days a week, a community center with a gym and tutoring and help with homework for kids, an annual winter-coat program, community Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, providing back-to-school supplies for students and programs for senior citizens.
Kahn said Red Kettle ringers were at 40 locations around the county.
“We are very thankful for the good level of support providing ringers from churches, schools, civic organizations, and Youngstown State University students. We could not have done it without them,” he said.
A Red Kettle sponsorship program, new this year, raised $30,000, and a 24-hour, nonstop Kettle-a-Thon, in which Kahn participated, netted about $2,000; they enabled the Mahoning County effort to exceed its goal.
Red Kettle ringers who staffed 21 locations in Trumbull County from Nov. 4 to Dec. 24 raised $142,817, slightly short of the $146,000 goal, said Capt. Misty Coffelt, who along with her husband, Capt. Charles Coffelt, head the Trumbull County Salvation Army.
Services provided by the Trumbull County Salvation Army include a community Thanksgiving dinner and food basket and toy distributions at Christmas, rent and utility assistance when funds are available, and a hot-meal program the last week of each month.
“We appreciate the support and generosity of the people of Trumbull County and the efforts of all the volunteers to help others,” she said.