Salvation Army’s aid stretched thin as need grows

Monday, Nov. 18, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The only reason the Salvation Army did not break records for helping the needy last holiday season was that it simply did not get enough donations to meet the ever-growing demand.

When 1,100 Angel Tree children went unadopted last Christmas, the organization scrambled to find last-minute clothing and toy donations so poor kids would not wake up Christmas morning with no presents to open.

Facing declining donations, the organization is kicking off its Christmas drive early this year. That drive begins today with the "official" start of accepting applications for Thanksgiving food baskets.

"We unofficially began taking applications (Wednesday) and expect to take about 1,000 applications by the time we start officially accepting them," said Salvation Army spokesman Sumner Dodge.

He notes that the demand is so serious that poor and homeless people, afraid that there will not be enough to go around, are signing up for programs before they are being offered.

"Unless we get more assistance -- probably from corporate sponsorship and businesses helping with projects like our Angel Tree -- things are going to be pretty bleak this year," Dodge said. "That's why we are starting early."

Dodge estimates the Salvation Army will assist up to 22,000 people at the organization's Family Services building, 35 W. Owens Ave., this Christmas -- up from a record 15,663 last year. An estimated 10,000 will be children.

Last year, the organization gave children 2,500 fewer toys and 2,500 fewer articles of clothing than in 1994.

The demand was not down -- overall, the agency helped 700 more people with all services than during the 1994 Christmas season -- it's just that the resources were spread thin.

"Every child on our lists last year received something," Dodge said. "It may not have been as much or as nice as we wanted to give them, but at least they got something."

Individuals and businesses can sign up to donate to the ninth annual Angel Tree project at the Meadows, Boulevard and Galleria malls or at any of the five Kenny Rogers Roasters locations.

This year, the Salvation Army, in addition to its kettle drive and other traditional fund-raising methods, is starting the Keith Ashworth Memorial Tree of Lights inside the Fremont Street Experience near Las Vegas Boulevard and Fourth Street.

A large Christmas tree will be adorned with white, green and red lights. Area businesses and corporations are being asked to donate $100 to light a white bulb, $250 to light a green bulb and $500 to light a red bulb.

That project, which officials hope will raise $200,000, has been bogged down because the Salvation Army needs a donation of about 400 white, green and red Christmas tree lights.

The fund-raiser is named for Ashworth, a former Nevada lawmaker and 10-year member of the Salvation Army board, who died recently. Charles Lenzie, chairman of Nevada Power Co., where Ashworth was employed as a lobbyist, will serve as project chairman, Dodge said.

The success of the event is essential to the organization's fund-raising efforts in the downtown area, as the city of Las Vegas has outlawed all street-corner fund-raisers in the Fremont Street Experience area.

The Tree of Lights, Dodge said, is the result of a compromise with the city to help the organization offset its kettle drive losses in that area.

But the kettle project has other problems, including finding enough people to stand in wintery weather for eight hours, ringing a bell for $5 an hour.

"One reason we are having trouble finding people is because in last Sunday's newspaper there were seven pages of jobs paying $5-$7 an hour, and that taps into our potential pool of workers," Dodge said.

A relatively mild winter last year enabled the Salvation Army to keep most of its bell-ringing sites manned. Traditionally, rough winters mean a great deal of turnover in that part of the work force.

Also last year, the organization provided 400 fewer food boxes and served 67 fewer holiday meals to the poor.

"This is because more businesses like the Hard Rock Cafe are getting involved with feeding the poor," Dodge said. "This is good because it gives the corporations and their employees a better understanding of the homeless."

The Salvation Army even benefits from corporations doing this kind of work.

For the seventh straight year, Circus Circus employees will feed the homeless about 750 Thanksgiving eve meals, and, for the first time, Kenny Rogers Roasters workers will feed about 850 Christmas Eve meals at the Salvation Army dining room.

The Salvation Army expects to serve 350 Thanksgiving Day meals and 350 Christmas Day meals -- a sign that the corporations are taking some of the burden off the charity group.

Still, even with such help, Salvation Army officials are always on the lookout for new sources of assistance.

"We are starting to look for employee groups, service clubs and other organizations who would like to help us by collecting canned goods for food boxes or volunteer to help with the Angel Tree," said Col. Jim Sullivan, Clark County coordinator for the Salvation Army.

"So far in 1996, there has been a 36 percent increase in the number of families needing emergency assistance. We will be needing a lot of community support if we are going to be able to help those who will be coming to us for holiday assistance."

Volunteers or those seeking bell-ringing jobs can call 870-4430.