A Salvation Army benefactor with a heart — and possibly a treasure chest — of pure gold is giving Chicago’s charity workers hope of a successful fund-raising season.
At two separate sites Saturday, a gold bar and a $50 American Eagle coin were dropped in the Salvation Army’s iconic red kettles, an annual tradition across the US to raise money for those in need of food or emergency assistance.
Salvation Army spokeswoman Katie Heinz Pfingsten confirmed the generous offerings, each worth an estimated $1,800 to $1,900, according to the Chicago-Tribune.
Lt. Scott Smith, a local “Salvationist” for the 155-year-old global nonprofit, said the outsized alms have given him “hope for humanity” during a particularly dire holiday season.
“Every year, every Salvation Army corps is going, ‘I hope we can make our goal this year?’ ” he told the Tribune. “But the reality this year is, I hope we can make our goal and then some, and that God will continue to provide what we need in order to help the people that we’re helping.”
“The gold coin is huge,” he added. “That’s more money than would come in on multiple kettles on a regular day.”
Smith can be sure the gifts of gold will go toward his community as Salvo’s kettles collect for their local communities. Their winter drive is counted on to provide about 70% of the charity’s annual budget, but contributions in their particular division are down by 50% this year, according to Heinz Pfingsten. Meanwhile, Americans need more help than ever due to record job loss and illness during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re going to need to raise much more than our goal in order to meet the needs of the extra people counting on us this year,” Smith said. “It’s people who’ve never had to ask for help before who are coming through the door. People who’ve told us they’ve always been the ones who are donating and never receiving help. They’re extremely humbled by it, they’re definitely not used to being on this end of things.”
Last year, Salvo introduced a cashless, contactless donation method which allows users to scan a QR code at their local kettle and use Apple Pay, Google Pay or credit card to donate by phone.
While “so many people are hurting,” said Smith, “it gives me hope for humanity … that people are invested in us being able to help people as we have for well over 100 years.
“It’s moving that people have faith that if they take whatever amount that they can afford to give, that the Salvation Army is going to do the most good with it.”