Havre Salvation Army in dire need of support for 2024

Despite an amazing turnout for this year's Angel Tree, Havre Salvation Army remains $15,000 behind their funding goal for the coming year, and with just two days left to raise funds for their 2024 operations.

Havre Salvation Army Director Trina Crawford said if they can't make up the difference they will need to cut back on services in 2024, and in a time when the needs of the community are especially dire.

Crawford said the infusion of money into communities that came with the pandemic is gone, and with rent going up and costs rising, the less fortunate are in more trouble now than practically ever, especially those without homes.

"People are hurting, they are desperately hurting and the minimum wage jobs are not paying the rent," she said.

She said there are understandable reasons why prices have gone up, especially for rent, but low-income people are caught in the middle regardless.

Indeed, she said, the donations to her organization have not gone down from last year, but because the need is so dire, they've had to ask for more.

Crawford said she understands that people can only give so much, and they are always grateful no matter how much they get, but she wants people to know that they will need to cut back on services that are deeply needed to help people succeed if they can't make up the $15,000 shortfall.

She said it's very late in the campaign, but they will never turn away people who want to be bellringers, and they have plenty of openings.

She said their collections are always more effective with bellringers and having more, even for a little while will help.

Signing up to be bellringer can be done at https://registertoring.com, she said.

Despite the situation, Crawford said this year's Angel Tree program, which provides presents to the children of low-income families, is proof of the community's giving spirit, with people in the area giving more gifts than she has ever seen.

"The community has given more this year than any other year I've been here. I've never seen such an outpouring of generosity," she said. "... A lot of children are going to have a very special Christmas this year because of this community."

Crawford said the Havre Police Department and Havre Jaycees have been especially supportive this year as well, and she wants to extend thanks to them, and everyone in the community for doing what they can.

Even with the needs so high, she said, events like this are keeping the morale of her colleagues high.

"We're not giving up," she said.

A release from the Salvation Army encouraged people to donate to their physical kettles around town, or online at https://www.northwest.salvationarmy.org .