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The Salvation Army Kettles start popping up today and the sound of bells accompanies your trip to the grocery or liquor store. Maybe you give a little, or maybe you don't. But where does it really go? We went to Captain Darryl Burry of the Kelowna Salvation Army for the answers.
"When the public chooses to support the Salvation Army financially at the Christmas season, they are supporting, not only what we doing during this time of year," said Captain Burry. "But they also support the work we do throughout the entire year."
At Christmas, the Salvation Army Kelowna supports programs that provide gift cards to individuals and families in need, toys for kids. The rest of the year, the organization is focused on helping people keep food on the table and clothes on their backs. We spoke to Burry at the Sally Ann's food bank operation on Rutland Road. "Families in need are able to come here to find additional food support to help get them through those rough periods they may be experiencing," he said. "We know we have individuals and families who need additional support whether it be clothing or household items or furniture."
Yes, some of the users of the Salvation Army food bank also utilize the Central Okanagan Food Bank. "The criteria is, you can meet with them once per month, but sometimes the food doesn't last a whole month and you need a little extra help," explained Captain Burry. "We don't want anyone going hungry."
Sadly, he said, the need to give has never been greater. "When we looked at our statistics, from the first six months of this year compared to last year," Burry added. "We saw a 47% increase in the number of families accessing our services."
What the Salvation Army sees is an ever-increasing cost of living and wages that aren't keeping up. "We want to come along and say, there's hope," he said. "There's help."
Something to think about when you hear the bells ringing.
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