Fewer bellringers means fewer donations at the Salvation Army of the Midlands

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) – The Salvation Army of the Midlands says there is a decrease in kettle workers and donations this Christmas. 

The organization says the decrease in donations aren’t due to the lack of giving but to the shortage of kettle workers. Salvation Army’s Area Commander Major Mark Craddock says it has been difficult to hire workers during the pandemic. 

“There is such an strongly employment market and you know we obviously have a hard time competing for paid workers. And we’ve been converting more to volunteer workers and some of that is the transition part of that. We expected to hire about 35 bell ringers but we came up significantly less than that,” said Major Craddock. 

Major Craddock says despite the shortage of workers the good news is they were able to add 14 new volunteer groups this year throughout the Midlands. “The good news to all of this is even with the shortfalls in kettles, every child that we adopted for Christmas – all 25 hundred angels – were helped by the Salvation Army. People came through in amazing ways and the Salvation Army realizes we will be able to continue the level of service next year.”