Reading Distributes Meals
READING, Pa. - An iconic charity organization is helping to get people in Berks County into the holiday spirit.
The Salvation Army of Reading usually kicks off its holiday fundraising campaign the day after Thanksgiving. The organization is starting early this year, as thousands of people are reeling from the effects of the pandemic.
"We've prepared an extra 25 percent compared to previous years because we know that during the pandemic, with people out of work and less hours, we're going to have more people,” Major Darren Mudge, of the Salvation Army of Reading, tells 69 News.
In conjunction with the start of the Red Kettle campaign, on Tuesday roughly 1,000 turkeys and boxes of food were distributed to families in need, helping to ensure they can have a proper Thanksgiving meal.
"We've seen an increase through the months of folks that have been asking for food,” Major Mudge says.
Funds raised through the campaign are at risk this year due to the pandemic, a national coin shortage, and more people shopping online.
But, Major Mudge says he's always floored by the community's generosity.
"Last year we raised $100,000 and this year we're looking to raise $150,000; just because we know the need in the community is that much greater than in previous years,” he says.
You can get in the giving spirit and help make a family's holiday whole by donating through the Salvation Army's website or can you can opt for the more traditional method of stopping by one of the red kettles.
"We're maintaining the six-foot social distancing, everybody's got a mask, they're wiping down the kettles after donations,” Mudge says. "That bit of change people have in their pocket could make a real change in somebody else's life.”
Original Source: WFMZ News