Season of Joy
The Christmas season is a time of joy for millions of individuals across Indiana each year. For struggling families, though, it can serve as financial hardship and stress. As the annual festivities begin each fall, The Salvation Army’s work multiplies to ensure all families can share in the joy of Christmas.
This past December, The Salvation Army Parke County Service Extension Unit recognized the needs of local families around the holidays and wanted to play a part in assisting them. As they prepared to bring out Red Kettles for the annual fundraising campaign, they decided to organize a kettle match to potentially double every donation dropped in a kettle. With surging everyday prices and the expenses of the holiday season, The Salvation Army's volunteer team in Parke County knew it could to be difficult to secure a gift for these match funds.
Despite the obstacles, an anonymous donor dedicated to sharing God’s love with those in need stepped up to provide The Salvation Army with a $2,000 match just in time for Christmas. From December 17-23, bell ringers young and old alike faced the cold weather in hopes of meeting the gracious match. With humility, the Parke County team exceeded its goal.
The volunteers put their heads together to determine the best possible way to use the extra funds to support local families in need at Christmas. It was decided that no matter the need, any family would appreciate a helping hand with groceries. The funds helped to purchase food vouchers from local grocery stores, allowing each family to share a home-cooked meal for the holidays. Your gifts to The Salvation Army are always used to meet needs in your community. Thank you for providing joy to families for the holidays.