Mercer County Salvation Army desperately seeking donations

PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — Mercer County’s branch of the Salvation Army is asking their community for any donations they can make. This branch is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to funding due to an increasing number of requests for aid.

Every bit of their unrestricted funding has been used, and the future months look grim.

Unrestricted funding is used to pay vendors, utilities, and payroll.

Salvation Army Sergeant Melissa White said the situation is dire.

“Right now, the fact is, we need cash. We need, you know, donations that are unrestricted so that we can use them to pay whatever vendors we need to pay, towards salaries and light bill, that kind of thing,” said White. “We just truly need financial contribution right now.”

White said that the rise in participation of the Salvation Army’s ministries is one cause for the lack of funding.

She said she is glad more people are seeking out the Salvation Army for assistance, but more people means more funding spent to keep the ministries running.

White said that the current political climate plays a large role in the lack of donations.

“Across the board, it’s not just with the Salvation Army, the general donation funding for all non-profits is going down instead of up,” said White. “I think that can be attributed to the overall economy, the election time, uncertainty about what the future holds, as well as all the things that are taking place around the world.”

White said at bare minimum they will need $75,000 to keep their doors open.

She said her branch has several fundraising events planned in order to bring in the money they’ll need to get through the summer.

Next week is National Salvation Army Week and White is planning on a Radiothon from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon on Wednesday, May 15th.

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