KETTLE CALL

Virtually full employment leaves the Salvation Army scrambling for bell ringers — volunteer and minimum wage — in South and East Bay

WALNUT CREEK >> A booming economy may mean virtually full employment in the Bay Area, but it has sounded alarm bells for the Salvation Army, which has had trouble finding enough volunteers and paid workers to staff red kettles this holiday season.

Kettle drives in Contra Costa, Alameda and Santa Clara counties have been unable to staff one-third to one-half of the commercial and public places at which they have permission to set up a kettle. That means fewer donations to fund Salvation Army programs, including homeless shelters, food and utility payment assistance, pastoral counseling, summer camp, Angel Tree and Adopt-a-Family programs, and other services.

Kettle donations comprise about a third of the Salvation Army’s annual operating budget, said Maj. James Lloyd, Alameda County’s co-coordinator. The Red Shield Campaign appeal drive and regular large-scale donors each provide a third, as well.

Lt. Ray Jimenez, kettle coordinator for Salvation Army Santa Clara, said, “We’re concerned that some programs may not be possible for the upcoming summer. That is a scare right now.”

Ringer Margaret Gilbert is actively encouraging people she knows who don’t have jobs to pick up the bell. She knows the Salvation Army needs volunteers, probably more than they need the Salvation Army.

“We’re concerned that some programs may not be possible for the upcoming summer. That is a scare right now.” — Lt. Ray Jimenez, kettle coordinator for Salvation Army Santa Clara

“Twenty-three (people) were supposed to be in our orientation class, and only 12 came out,” Gilbert said. “Even with the 23, they said they were going to be short of bodies.”

She said she loves standing by a classic red Salvation Army kettle, ringing the hand bell and wishing shoppers a Merry Christmas, whether they slip dollar bills in the slot or not.

“It just seems to be what to do at Christmas,” said Gilbert, 63, a retired professional caregiver and 10year Salvation Army veteran, standing Monday in front of a Safeway store in Walnut Creek. “I very much recommend it.”

In 2008, when the economy was bad and kettle volunteers were plentiful, central Contra Costa bell ringers brought in about $214,000, said Capt. Ralph Brigman, the kettle coordinator for Central Contra Costa. In 2015, that total dipped to about $170,000; in 2016, it went up slightly, to $173,000.

Contributing to the bellringer shortage is that, in a robust area economy — 3.4 percent unemployment in the East Bay in October, and 3 percent in Santa Clara County that month, according to state economists and labor officials — it’s hard to get people to do kettle duty for no pay or even for minimum wage.

“I tell people it’s the easiest but hardest job they’ll have,” Brigman said. “It’s easy to ring a bell, but it’s hard to stand for seven hours doing it.”

Brigman said this is his third year responsible for staffing 30 locations from Martinez to San Ramon, mostly in front of grocery stores and large retailers. On a good day this year, he can fill 25 of those spots; a bad day can see as few as 10 bell ringers working an 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift.

It’s even worse in San Jose, where Jimenez can’t begin to place kettles and ringers at all of the 27 business-approved locations throughout Santa Clara County. “We have 12 active bell ringers; you do the math,” he said.

Alameda County has as many as 50 people ringing bells and overseeing kettles on a given day, but Lloyd said many other potential kettle locations go wanting. A more accurate gauge, he said, is volunteer hours served.

In Alameda County in 2016, Salvation Army recorded about 126,000 volunteer-hours for the holiday season; so far this year, it’s about 65,000 (the last day is Dec. 23).

There aren’t too many practical incentives to draw more bell ringers, the coordinators say. Ten to 15 percent of them are paid, at minimum wage; Jimenez said perhaps the wage could be raised a little, and a few more people paid. But at some point, he said, it becomes uneconomical to have paid ringers.

Daniel Grant suggests that promoting Salvation Army’s mission would draw at least a few more volunteers. On a recent Tuesday afternoon, he was outside the Kmart store on Clayton Road in Concord, wearing the official Salvation Army uniform and hat, playing Christmas songs on the cornet

“They’ve helped me in the past, and I give back,” the Concord resident said. “I would tell people this is a good way to help people who need help.”

ARIC CRABB — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Salvation Army member Daniel Grant plays the cornet at a kettle station outside of a Kmart in Concord.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Salvation Army bell ringer Sharyn Fernandez greets customers in front of a Safeway in Walnut Creek.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The Salvation Army, due to a lack of bell ringers, is unable to staff stations at some East and South Bay sites.

ARIC CRABB — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Salvation Army member Daniel Grant plays the cornet to attract donations at a kettle station outside a Kmart store on Tuesday in Concord.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Shannon Nix, 11, of Danville, donates money as Salvation Army bell ringer Pete Graycar, of Livermore, sings while outside Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton.