Sally Ann 61% of way to goal

The Central Okanagan Salvation Army needs help reaching its Christmas 2018 fundraising goal.

This year, the organization set a Christmas campaign goal of $800,000.

As of Monday, it had reached 61 per cent of the goal, with a shortfall of $313,000.

In the past few weeks, almost 600 families have come to the Salvation Army looking for help, said Pastor Darryl Burry.

“Thanks to the generosity of our community, we have been able to meet those needs,” he said. “But there are still others coming to see us every day, and the needs will still be there after Christmas.”

Funds raised during the Christmas campaign support programs and services throughout the year for individual and family support programs, emergency food hampers, services for seniors and disaster-relief efforts.

“Over the past few weeks, we have seen families where parents are working full time but, with the cost of everything continuing to rise, find themselves in a place where they just can’t keep up,” sid Sonia Withers, community ministries co-ordinator with the Central Okanagan Salvation Army. “Our desire is to come alongside those who find themselves in a difficult place to let them know that there is hope.”

For more information, go online to kelownasalvationarmy.ca.