Barrie Kettle Campaign $200K short of its goal with 4 days left

The Barrie area Salvation Army Kettle Campaign is ending in four days, and it is more than $200,000 short of its goal.

Major Bruce Shirran, executive director for the Salvation Army Bayside Mission in Barrie, is optimistic the financial shortfall can be made up before the campaign ends.

Shirran announced the goal was set at $550,000 when the campaign kicked off on November 14.

So far, the 39-day fundraiser has netted the organization just over $325,000.

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Shirran said this year, kettles for the local Salvation Army were in Barrie, Alliston, and Stroud.

Money raised through the kettle campaign remains local to support the services and programs offered through the Salvation Army's Barrie Bayside Mission.

In February, Shirran said the Mission was struggling to keep up with rising costs and surging demand for assistance, serving over 200,000 meals to the city's less fortunate each year.

The Salvation Army Canada released an urgent appeal Tuesday morning, asking for support to reach a fundraising goal of $22 million, saying it is almost 10 per cent behind its fundraising efforts from the same period last year.

The organization says the decline in donations comes at a time when the demand for The Salvation Army's assistance nationally has surged by 30 per cent.

Recent research conducted by the Salvation Army shows that one in four Canadians fear they don't have enough income to cover their basic needs. One in five Canadians report skipping or reducing the size of at least one meal because they cannot afford to buy groceries.

For those who don't carry cash, the kettles are equipped to accept donations with the tap of a debit or credit card.