Salvation Army Says Target’s Bell-Ringer Ban May Cost It $9 Million

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

The Salvation Army may lose as much as $9 million in contributions in America this holiday season after Target Corp. told the 139-year-old charity it could no longer set up its red collection kettles outside stores.


That’s about 10% of the $93 million in American kettle donations received last Christmas, said Major George Hood, the Salvation Army’s national community relations secretary, in an interview from the charity’s American headquarters in Alexandria, Va.


The international organization’s kettles and bell ringers are familiar sights and sounds to holiday shoppers. Target’s decision has forced the charity, which helps about 4.8 million people in America at Thanksgiving and Christmas, to scout for new locations and seek alternative ways to collect money as contributions decline and service requests increase.


“You don’t just ignore the loss of $9 million,” said Mr. Hood, who’s also concerned about the reduced visibility. “The red kettle with the bell ringer has become a Christmas icon.”


Target policy prohibits groups from soliciting shoppers outside its 1,313 stores, though it had made an exception for the Salvation Army, Mr. Hood said. Minneapolis-based Target said in September the Salvation Army could no longer use its stores.


Founded in London in 1865 as a religious and charitable mission, the Salvation Army had about $3 billion in American revenue in its fiscal year 2003, including money it received from the government. It provided $2.55 billion in services throughout the year, Mr. Hood said.


Target, the no. 2 American discount retailer, had received an increase in the number of nonprofit, free speech, and other groups that wanted to collect outside stores, said spokeswoman Carolyn Brookter, while declining to name the groups. She said the Salvation Army had been the only exception to its policy.


“This makes us consistent across all our stores across the nation,” Ms. Brookter said in an interview from Minneapolis. Target’s chief executive, Robert Ulrich, 61, declined to be interviewed for this article.


Three years ago, Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s largest retailer, restricted soliciting by the Salvation Army and other nonprofit groups to 14 days a year, said Dan Fogleman, a spokesman for the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer. Wal-Mart stores remain the No. 1 collection site for the Salvation Army, with $12 million in donations last year.


The Christmas kettle originated in San Francisco in 1891 when Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee wanted to give a free holiday dinner to the poor in the area. Recalling his days as a sailor in England when passers-by threw donations into a pot, he began the tradition at the Salvation Army, according to the organization’s Web site.


The Salvation Army was the fourth biggest American nonprofit organization, with $2.85 billion in revenue in 2002, according to the Parsippany, N.J.-based NonProfit Times, which tracks charities. The largest were the Young Men’s Christian Association with $4.66 billion, the American Red Cross with $3.02 billion, and Catholic Charities USA with $2.86 billion.


Many local Salvation Army chapters relied on Target stores for much of their collections.


In the Minneapolis region, about $730,000, or 33%, of the $2.2 million in donations came from kettles outside Target stores, while $195,840, or 17%, was raised in New Jersey, and about $200,000, or 13%, in Southern California, according to data provided by those chapters.


To make up for the loss, the Salvation Army is working to boost Internet and mail fund-raising year-round, Mr. Hood said. Regional chapters said they have begun putting out kettles earlier in November, finding new locations and seeking more corporate sponsorships.


A Cincinnati television station and Wendy’s International Inc. sponsored an Adopt-a-Family program with the local chapter.


Donations to the organization have dropped even as requests for food, housing, and other services have increased. American contributions fell to $1.42 billion in 2003 from $1.48 billion in 2002, Mr. Hood said.


Requests in the past year for housing assistance have increased more than 50% in New Jersey, said a spokeswoman for the state chapter, Ruth Heiss.


It’s no longer just the unemployed and homeless who seek help, said a spokeswoman for the Salvation Army of Southern California, Carla Jackson Phillips. Higher rent and heating costs have pushed people with jobs to seek assistance, she said.


“People assume that the only people who visit the Salvation Army are homeless and have no financial income whatsoever,” Ms. Phillips said. “That has evolved into what we refer to as the ‘working poor,’ who also need our assistance.”


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use