Prince Rupert Salvation Army raises $140,000 during holiday campaign

The Prince Rupert Salvation Army served 70 per cent more children during this holiday season than in 2020 and was assisted by a $37,000 donation from Ridley Terminals and staff which helped fill last-minute hampers ensuring toys and goods for families.

The organization prepared 522 hampers for kids in December compared to 362 last year. In total, 1,348 individuals in Prince Rupert benefitted from Salvation Army donations this year, Dawn Butt, Salvation Army church pastor, told The Northern View.

Over the 2021 holiday season, the local chapter managed to beat its donation and fundraising goal, with $141,291.51 being received.

“It’s better than we did last year, and it’s phenomenal,” Butt said.

While kettle donations were down this year, the Salvation Army’s Christmas mail-out was up.

This year’s donations from the community flowed steadily, compared to last year where the Salvation Army relied on last-minute donations to fill out their need, and the organization did not have to scramble to hit its goal.

However, one group’s contribution did help the charity push its goal past the finish line.

Food, toys, knitted items and a $12,000 donation from the Fill the Cubical drive supplied by employees and vendors from Ridley Terminal help top off this year’s goal.

“They did an amazing job. That actually helped us in the last couple of days. Just before Christmas, we had a couple of last-minute hampers to fill. So, that really helped us with toys for that,” Butt said.

Ridley Terminals Inc. also donated $25,000 on top of what employees and vendors raised with Rob Booker, CEO of Ridley Terminals, renewing the company’s pledge to honour the same contribution in 2022 and 2023 to assist the organization throughout the continuing pandemic.

Next for the Salvation Army is organizing the year’s worth of donations and preparing to move the Food Bank into their church, which they hope to complete by early spring, Butt said.

READ MORE: Prince Rupert Salvation Army remains positive despite donation “crisis”

READ MORE: Prince Rupert Salvation Army needs more volunteers