New restrictions may limit Salvation Army bellringer donations
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BURIEN, Wash. - Some Salvation Army bell ringers are getting a later start at putting out their kettles this year.
The bell ringers are collecting money to help the needy - but new restrictions on when they can ring their bells may lead to fewer donations this year.
Nearly 500 bell ringers - some paid, some volunteer - are spread out right now through the Puget Sound region.
They work six days a week, and on Sunday they rest.
They rely on the generosity of stores like Fred Meyer to give them permission to stand out front. But this year, some other stores are asking the bell ringers to come back later or go someplace else.
The Salvation Army bell ringers are a 100-year tradition - politely collecting money for their red kettles. Typically, the Army's kettle collections begin six weeks before Christmas. But some national stores are asking the Salvation Army to delay the collection - or are not allowing it all on their property.
"Some are cutting back on the hours for safety reasons once the sun goes down," says Maj. Doug Tollerud, the Salvation Army's Northwest division commander. "Other things are the sound of the bell, too loud of a bell, not enough bell."
Public sidewalks like those in downtown Seattle are not an issue. But in front of supermarkets, which are private property, the bell ringers need permission.
Fred Meyer is one major chain that has not put up restrictions. But some stores are restricting the bell ringers access to their front doors until one week before Christmas - not the usual six.
But the Salvation Army's Maj. Tollerud isn't fretting.
"God always provides, and the reality of it is - whatever restrictions come up, we are able to move and move fast to find other places to put out our bells and our kettles," he says.
What's collected in the bell ringers' red kettles at Christmas represents a third of all the donations the Salvation Army collects all year. The Army is very thankful that stores even let them stand in their doorways.
But less collection time can mean less money and food for those really need it.
The major did not want to say the names of the chains that increasing restrictions because they are still partners with the Salvation Army.
Typically, the Army's bell ringers in the Puget Sound region bring in $4 million a year.
The bell ringers are collecting money to help the needy - but new restrictions on when they can ring their bells may lead to fewer donations this year.
Nearly 500 bell ringers - some paid, some volunteer - are spread out right now through the Puget Sound region.
They work six days a week, and on Sunday they rest.
They rely on the generosity of stores like Fred Meyer to give them permission to stand out front. But this year, some other stores are asking the bell ringers to come back later or go someplace else.
The Salvation Army bell ringers are a 100-year tradition - politely collecting money for their red kettles. Typically, the Army's kettle collections begin six weeks before Christmas. But some national stores are asking the Salvation Army to delay the collection - or are not allowing it all on their property.
"Some are cutting back on the hours for safety reasons once the sun goes down," says Maj. Doug Tollerud, the Salvation Army's Northwest division commander. "Other things are the sound of the bell, too loud of a bell, not enough bell."
Public sidewalks like those in downtown Seattle are not an issue. But in front of supermarkets, which are private property, the bell ringers need permission.
Fred Meyer is one major chain that has not put up restrictions. But some stores are restricting the bell ringers access to their front doors until one week before Christmas - not the usual six.
But the Salvation Army's Maj. Tollerud isn't fretting.
"God always provides, and the reality of it is - whatever restrictions come up, we are able to move and move fast to find other places to put out our bells and our kettles," he says.
What's collected in the bell ringers' red kettles at Christmas represents a third of all the donations the Salvation Army collects all year. The Army is very thankful that stores even let them stand in their doorways.
But less collection time can mean less money and food for those really need it.
The major did not want to say the names of the chains that increasing restrictions because they are still partners with the Salvation Army.
Typically, the Army's bell ringers in the Puget Sound region bring in $4 million a year.
And sidewalks away from the supermarkets are often far too far for people to head towards, and so being easily accessible is a plus to the donation business. Â Too bad.
No doubt Fred Meyer is one because there are no bell-ringers at the one near me.
 @raven There are at Tacoma Fred Meyers.
 As P.T Barnum once said, "There's a SUCKER born every minute." And the self righteous who've attacked those who are opposed to the bell ringers while defending giving money to bogus charities have proven him right.
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 Help people at your local shelters directly if you want to have real and lasting positive impact on people who need help.Â
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 National charitable organizations have plenty of loopholes regarding income  reporting to the IRS that nullifies the idea of 'charity.' The CEO salaries are likely not actual figures as so much of the money can easily be hidden in various accounts, offshore and otherwise.
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I know there's problems in every organization, but it still does good and you can tell me one perfect organization. I would love to see that so meantime, let's not be negative and have a happy holidays. Please for the poor and down out. That's what it's all about my friends.
The salvation army has been handing out toys and food during the holidays every since I can remember. Also they serve up food to the needy and homeless year around. There is so much need right now. A week before Christmas gives them absolutely no time to purchase and distribute toys and food during the holidays. This isn't a religious issue, this is humanitarian kindness.
I go to the supermarket once or twice a week and I give once or twice each year, but certainly not every time, so it's annoying when the Salvation Army folks say "have a nice day" every time I'm leaving the store, which can be interpreted as "thanks for nothing, cheapskate."  The bell ringers are already out at my supermarket and I would have  no objection to limiting them to a week before Christmas to New Year's Day. ,Â
 @Opus8no5 I doubt they are trying to call you out for being cheap by saying "have a nice day". Sounds to me like they are trying to be nice courteous. I guess I just find it sad that people can be so annoyed by someone trying to be nice. Have you ever tried saying "Thank you, and you too" and perhaps giving a little bit of a smile?
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A little kindness doesn't hurt, in fact it feels good. Letting yourself get annoyed and bothered by simple acts of kindness... that only hurts you.
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I wish I could give, but unfortunately I'm one of those who needs a little help this year. When I'm back on my feet, I'm giving VOA and Salvation Army as generous of a donation as I can. Those bell ringers don't bother me one bit... the other day at the post office I said 'thank you' to one of them, he smiled at me and said 'you're welcome'.
 @lilhikergrl  You WILL get there eventually! It seems like forever right now of course, but your attitude and your respect for, and treatment of, others will get you everywhere you want to go.Â
One of the best blessings of being poor and broke for awhile is it makes you very innovative, and that skill â or its necessity â never goes away even when money is no longer one of your struggles.Â
 @MargeGunderson Thank you... it does seem like forever.
This is an unusual place for me. I've always been fortunate enough to have more than I needed until recently. Before things got bad, I simply didn't know how fortunate I was. I think a lot of people are blind to that. You're right, in a strange way I'm blessed because now I can see what I couldn't see before.
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I'm being completely honest about my intention to give generously once I'm back on my feet. After having visited a food bank so I could feed my family, I decided that someone needs to put some healthy food on those shelves that might actually make someone smile. Some of the food they gave me was actually expired and I had to throw it away when I got home... a serious slap in the face to someone who's cupboards are nearly bare.
I am surprised anyone carries change anymore.
 @Melissa Angevine It's about all we're down to right before payday comes around sometimes. :^D
Although the bells are annoying at times, the Salvation Army (SA) do a great job in using that money to help people rather than them selves. Many organizations pay their CEO's and higher muckmucks way too muck and your donations goes to feather their next rather than helping someone. One writer (Olderster70) says that only 4.4cents of every dollar goes to helping someone and all the rest goes to feeding the bigwigs. Share with the SA because it does some good for those in need and allow them to ring their bells.
 Interesting that the comments are a clear divide between faith based people attacking those who choose not to give to organizations they feel are shysting the public.
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 Frankly, I'm tired of faith based anything as being the measuring stick of morality.Â
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 With all of the money being raked in by so many faith based charities in our country, of easily over a billion dollars annually, where is all of the money going?  There is no reason that people are still  sleeping on the streets, with so much money available to create programs to give them needed housing while they learn skills to find a decent job, and food to sustain them.Â
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 I would love to see a human charity that has no affiliation, but focused on improving living conditions of fellow people who've fallen on hard times through co-ops for charity tax credits with local supermarkets, community colleges and temp employment agencies, et al, that would help people learn skills to help them get back on their feet,and enable them to live in their own home or apartment.
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 Co-ops with community college and trade schools whose instructors could donate an hour a week of instruction for needy adults and in exchange get a charity tax credit would be a viable process - creating more skilled persons to contribute to the workforce as well as tax revenues.Â
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 Fred Meyer has a great set up during Thanksgiving where a shopper spending at least $150 in a single purchase is entitled to a free Private Selection Turkey up to 20 lbs.  If they setup barcode cards at the register, shoppers could make the choice to donate a Turkey or go choose a bird to take home.
  Supermarkets could co-op with local charities by arranging weekly pick ups of donated food, all year round as opposed to certain times of the year, and the supermarkets should be given a tax credit.
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Happy Holidays.
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@Smokin Bear The supermarkets do donate food all year around. There are volunteer drivers from the food banks that collect the food weekly. Most of it is pulled merchandise, but when you are hungry you aren't so picky. And they can deduct it from their taxes.
I hear you, but the issue of  supermarket donations served as an example and was not the point I was making.Â
@Smokin Bear An example of what?
My children and I volunteered to help families when they came to pick up their gifts last year at the salvation army. What the salvation army did was appalling. All the gifts that people thoughtfully picked out for children and brought in, were all ripped open and put out for any family to pick from. The gifts that people in the community picked out for children did not make it to those children. The families were able to come in and pick out from whatever was at the tables. Some asked why they even asked what children wanted, when those gifts weren't there? ALSO: All the Salvation army staff and picked through the gifts and took home whatever they wanted!!!! I am not joking! They also kept calling the local toys for tots group saying they needed more gifts. It makes it to where I won't be helping out this year nor buying gifts for this program!
 @concernedparent I used to work in the Social Services Division of SA. I can assure you, what you saw was probably not the most appalling thing that was happening.
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Half of the staff does their personal shopping before the whole thing starts. Clearly, the top items go to them.
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The location I worked for threw out hundreds of dollars of donated Harry Potter toys. How offensive is that? Ask people to donate and then throw their donations away?
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Donations....well, that is a whole other story. I would never encourage anyone to donate there.
 Wow. Thank you sharing. That is shameful on the part of the SA staff.Â
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 To anyone who says "Oh this isn't a fair representation of the SA as a whole" I say, BULL!!
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 It takes more than one corrupt person to tarnish an organization and I believe that this is an accurate picture of what many charities do under the guise of "human kindness."
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 If you want to be kind, go to your local shelter or rescue mission and volunteer your time or personally deliver donations of food or clothing or toys.Â
@Melissa Angevine @Smokin Bear - Yes, I agree.Â
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That there are predatory people taking advantage of those who are giving what they can to help people in need is a disgraceful testament to the degradation of human character.Â
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I could certainly be wrong, but I feel that by donating directly to organizations within my community, that people in need will actually benefit from those contributions.  Â
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Its not a "faceless" donation like dropping cash into a bucket.
 @Smokin Bear One of the most troubling things I found is the fact that unless you earmark your money for a VERY specific need, Monies collected in the Kettle Drive go into a general fund.
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At my location, that fund typically paid the monthly bills for the children of the Majors and co workers.
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Honestly, I have never seen more theft and dishonesty in my entire life. It is sad, though, because the way SA sets things up, they really do intend for the most good to come out of it. The problem is the corruption that happens in each individual location.Â
 @Smokin Bear I would tell you about the daily abuse of the food bank, but i want to leave you with one shred of hope for mankind. lol
 @concernedparent They changed their procedures a few years ago. People buy gifts for an age range of children, not a specific child. I myself had more fun shopping when i had a specific request in my hands. Now it's so generic and the Salvation Army uses the gifts in a shopping format where the parents pick out the gifts from those available. I think the cards now mention gift ideas.
 @Chico I did not know that. That explains some of it. But, parents are asked to make a list of what their child really wants. If that is brought in, why can't those children get their requested gifts? It was surprising how much stuff was taken by the workers there. The presents are given with the assumption that the child will receive them, not the staff at SA.Â
 @concernedparent  @Chico Those gift lists are created by Salvation Army employees. Those children do not really exist. They are very misleading.
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Anyone who is complaining about the Salvation Army or their bells is a Heartless Scrooge!!
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STOP!! Just STOP with all this hate and negativity - they are there to HELP THE LESS FORTUNATE!!!!I'd be utterly ashamed to complain!! Damn!!
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In fact, I go out of my way to donate, especially when my kids are with me - I usually give them each a dollar to put in - teach them some compassion and some empathy, and proud of it.
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"A Nation's Greatness is Measured by how it Treats it's Weakest Members - Mahatma Ghandi
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 @_Monte_ Anyone that is investigating or giving a damn about where the money goes is a heartless scrooge?Â
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I fancied them educated.Â
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The only SURE result of you throwing money in the kettle is that you feel better about yourself.
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The ironic thing about your comment is that scrooge would have actually investigated where his money was going.
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Isn't it ironic........ don't ya think?
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The posting by Oldster is bogus - do your own search.
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Walgreen's is not restricting them either. There was one there when I went yesterday and I gave some money on my way out.
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To the jerks that put down the Salvation Army, do some research! Almost all of the money collected goes to the needy. This is one of the few charities I actually budget annual money for and I have helped in soup kitchens in the past. They truly deserve our support.
So many nasty comments. Hopefully people will get passed their biases and consider that the money is going to help someone in need. Think beyond yourself, whether your complaints are legit or not, whether you are a beliver or not, whether you are a Christian or not. Help someone who needs help.
I will not shop at any store that asks "Bell Ringers" to go someplace else. I haven't been in a Target store in years because they won't allow Bell Ringers. But that's just me.
I refuse to give CASH to any charity. We donate TOYS for Toys for Tots. . Its a great charity and I know the toys we buy are going to needy kids. Not money to line someones pockets
 @Nicole P Toys for Tots is, indeed a great organization.
It's great that you give toys!
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They don't provide food or clothing or energy assistance though-- and so-- it's good that other folks donate so kids get help with those things too!Â
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The Marine Corps Reserves does just a great job with Toys for Tots!
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 @WA State Mom  @Nicole P Don't forget about foster kids in need of clothing year round. Donations can be made at Treehouse for Kids.Â
 @PrairieDawn  @Nicole P Treehouse! WOW! What an AMAZING ORGANIZATION! I'm very, very impressed by them! The things they make happen for Foster Kids is just about magical!
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The American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans' salary for the year was $951,957 plus expenses.
The United Way President Brian Gallagher receives a $675,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits.
UNICEF CEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1,900,000 per year (158K) per month, plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE. Less than 5 cents (4.4 cents) per donated dollar goes to the cause.
The Salvation Army's Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause.
The American Legion National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
The Disabled American Veterans National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
The Military Order of Purple Hearts National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!
The Vietnam Veterans Association National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! No further comment is necessary.
Please share this with everyone you can.
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@oldster70
Without a reference to your source your information is meaningless.
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http://www.unicefusa.org/about/faq/ceo-salary.html
@al_wa @oldster70 How about the IRS? That's a credible source. Here is the publication that explains what must be reported by a charity.
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http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p557.pdf
@oldster70 Thanks for the valuable info!! INCOR, which is for foreign relief, gives 100% of donations. All overhead costs are absorbed by volunteers. INCOR is located in WA state
 @oldster70 And that sir is exactly why I won't give a dime to the Red Cross.
 @oldster70 Your point is very well taken-- everyone should research their donation recipients. This (above) is mostly inaccurate though
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http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/charities.asp
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 @WA State Mom  @oldster70 Also Charitynavigator.org
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 @WA State Mom  @oldster70 THANK YOU! I had wondered if that list was accurate or not.
have never run into an 'aggressive' bell ringer - they rarely make eye contact until i approach the kettle - they cannot take the $ to put in the kettle - you have to put it in. i have had them hold the door open for me. and thank me or just wish me merry christmas. some are more creative with the bell ringing - Fred Meyer E. Bremerton uses a tamporine. they don't know how much you are putting in the kettle so no eye rolls or dirty looks. $10 or 10 cents gets a thank you.
People will walk right past people collecting for local homeless families, school supplies for local children, money to help out local kids who get hurt and local churches collecting for clothes closets, and foodbanks. But they give to some guy ringing a bell so the money can leave the community it's collected in.
 @chandler The money raised in the Kettles stays in the community that is given.  It doesn't go anywhere else.  Each of The Salvation Army Corps raise money in their community to help people in that community.Â
 @chandler Why do you think that the Salvation Army doesn't help people in your community?Â
My choice to give is my choice....
I will drop nothing in their bucket. If I want to help someone, I will do it directly.Â
 @Audio Cat My Grandfather was a war veteran. I took care of him 24/7 the last years of his life. I was a new mother and didnât get enough sleep caring for baby and an elderly and disabled grandpa! Salvation army gave me 2 days respite care so I could get rest and see my physician for pneumonia. They provided an adult family home for 2 full days! They kept me out of the hospital, grandpa from being in a nursing home and made a difference in our lives!Â
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A drop in the bucket is a lot when there are millions of drops, but you are not obligated to drop anything in the bucket ever.Â
2 days? Ummm sorry, calling BS on this one. 2 days is not enough time to recover from pneumonia - who was taking care of your newborn during this miracle? Then you jumped right back into the stressful situation of caring for a new baby and your elderly grandpa that nearly placed you in the hospital??   Nope.Â
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The story just doesn't ring true.
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I agree with you, Cat. Giving is a personal choice and NO ONE should criticize if or how you choose to give.  Â
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 I much prefer delivering needed items to our local rescue  mission for the homeless. They have a website where people can check for most needed items, whether it's food, clothes or toys which is will have a direct positive impact for those who need help. Â
Ummmm......they are there is person. What the the word "directly" mean to you?