As the calendar rolls toward the Christmas holiday, people will soon be hearing familiar sounds and seeing familiar sights — one of which is the red Salvation Army donation kettle — at different locations in town.

The donations season started in a big way when the organization collected $12,580 at its dinner and auction Saturday night, Nov. 29.

Capt. Chase Green said this year will be the first year for the new program “100 for Wrangell,” which was part of the dinner and silent auction at the Stikine Inn. The event marked the official “red kettle kickoff.”

“We’re trying something different this year,” Green said.

“Instead of asking numerous people for small donations, we’re challenging 100 people to each donate $100.”

Green said the goal is to raise $10,000 in donations, but the organization will gladly take more than that amount. The amount raised Saturday is the combination of money raised through the dinner’s ticket sales, auction item sales and individual donations.

“This was an incredible start toward growing our services for Wrangell,” he said. “The proceeds will go to the expansion of the food bank and other programs.”

Additionally, Green said there are plans to open a soup kitchen in 2026 to help all who are in need.

“It’s honestly just another way for us to reach out and love people,” he said.

A difficult year

Green said this year has been concerning as he has watched events unfold at the national level, which has increased his worries at the local level.

“This year, food insecurity has become a concern, and I don’t think many people anticipated that,” he said. “And when you consider the fact that everything is more expensive here because we’re on an island, and you see multiple families struggling regularly, then it becomes even more of a concern.”

Green said he has personally noticed red flags within the community such as prolonged food rationing within multiple households.

“When someone comes and gets food from the food pantry and they talk about making it last a couple of weeks, that is something that immediately gets my attention,” he said. “I’m seeing more fear in people who aren’t able to get what they need and what they want for their family.”

Green said he realizes The Salvation Army won’t be able to cure all the problems, but he recognizes the role the organization can play in supplementing the groceries as a way to help prevent the breaking of a family budget.

“Last week (Nov. 16-22) we served approximately 60 households,” he said, noting the depth of need.

Meeting needs

Green said he is also concerned by the fact that The Salvation Army is collecting fewer toys than usual at this time of year.

“We’re definitely taking toy donations,” he said. “I have already heard of some local households talking about pushing Christmas into the new year because they can’t afford to get anything right now. I don’t think that’s acceptable.”

Green went on to challenge anyone who might be interested to donate with the purpose of providing a good Christmas experience for children.

“Unfortunately, we’re just collecting toys at a much slower rate this year,” he said.

Green said the organization will gladly take whatever cash donations can be given.

“The grocery stores will soon start doing a round-up — which is where they ask if a customer wants to round up the amount of their purchase, and the extra money is donated to The Salvation Army,” he said. “And we will also have the red kettles out for monetary donations. They’ll primarily be at City Market and IGA.”