Scrooges dog Salvation Army bell-ringer program
By lvorderbrueggen
Friday, November 14th, 2008 at 5:46 pm in Contra Costa County.
Many Contra Costa retail stores will continue to bar Salvation Army bill-ringers from their front doors this holiday season.
It’s disgraceful, especially when so many folks have lost their jobs or their homes and must rely this year on charitable groups for a Christmas turkey or a toy for their children.
Retail operations such as Target and Trader Joes, which advertises itself as “your neighborhood” store, have banned the famous red kettle from their premises, says Concord Salvation Army Major Clay Gardner.
Even the stores that allow the distinctive red kettles have placed significant time restrictions on the organization.
One major grocery chain – which will go unnamed because it did the right thing – abandoned its Scrooge-inspired plan to charge the Salvation Army $50 a day for every bell-ringer.
Gardener estimates the trend will cost the charity $50,000 or more in contributions this year A single kettle in front of a busy store can produce $3,000 to $4,000 a day.
The loss comes at the same time demand is outstripping the Concord Salvation Army’s services – a food pantry, holiday food baskets and toys, and an after-school childcare program.
Granted, no wants to think about the “less fortunate” as they happily scour the town for that perfect gift for a loved one.
But that ringing bell serves to remind all of us of our good fortune to be shopping rather than filling out an application at the Salvation Army for a holiday food basket.
To donate money or volunteer your services to the Salvation Army, visit www.salvationarmyconcordca.org or call 925-676-6180.
Or if the Salvation Army is not to you liking, another good source of information about how to give to others during the season, check out the East Bay Volunteer Center at www.helpnow.org.
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November 15th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
I suggest a tactic learned from the civil rights movement.
Boycott Target and Trader Joe’s and any other grinches that want to turn what remains of the true spirit of Christmas into just another shopping spree.
November 15th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
[...] TARGET and TRADER JOES’S. Lisa Vorderbrueggen blogs that Target and Trader Joe’s have banned the Salvation Army from ringing their bells for donations in front of their store [...]
November 18th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Amazing…when things are looking rather bleak for some families, stores in our neighborhood are looking out for their self-interests, blocking any means to hinder their customers. A little community interest goes a long way and the organizations which focus on feeding and providing some holiday enjoyment for those who may not otherwise have it available are sure to have my support. I won’t be shopping at either store until they remove policy to hinder those who are looking out for the less fortunate.
November 25th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
As long as The Salvation Army discriminates against the GLBT in it’s hiring and employment practices then anyone who supports them or receives services from them are guilty of supporting hatred.
And any business which bans them from their property will continue to get my business. Those who don’t, won’t.
November 26th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Is GLBT a new kind of sandwich?
November 27th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
With all the money I save by not buying my Two-Buck Chuck, I’ll be able to make a donation to Salvation Army.