Securing financial donations for the Christmas season has been a challenge not only for Catholic charities but other Christian organisations as well. Senior writer LARA PICKFORD-GORDON reports that while the Salvation Army has seen a drop in donations, they remain grateful and hopeful.
Christmas has been called ‘the season of giving’, originating from the wise men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for Jesus. And while gift-giving has been dominated by consumerism, the season takes on deeper meaning for the many organisations seeking to support the needy in society such as the Salvation Army.
Each Christmas, there is the familiar sight of Salvation Army representatives appealing for contributions with their brightly coloured Christmas kettles and ringing of bells.
Major Chris Matthias, Commander Trinidad and Tobago Division, which includes the territories of St Vincent and Grenada, stated the organisation remains “hopeful and grateful” despite a slight decline in contributions from the public.
“We’re hoping really that as we get closer, certainly this week into the next week, closer to Christmas that we would see an uptick in the giving, but you know I always say we are grateful for what we’ve received,” he said in a December 18 interview with The Catholic News.
Major Chris Matthias
The Salvation Army is thankful to those whose support has remained steadfast “year after year”. He surmises that the economy and other things could have contributed to the decline.
In 2024, the Salvation Army has set a target of collecting $600,000 in T&T. Major Matthias said: “It was a little ambitious, but we were stepping out in faith but I’m not sure we’re gonna reach that by the time we close off, that was our target.”
The launch for the collection took place November 1 and ended December 31, and a couple members went out on that day while others began November 2.
The Salvation Army has its annual Christmas food hamper distributions for needy, shut-ins, single mothers. At the divisional headquarters, Henry Street, they catered for 600. Other branches: Tunapuna, Sangre Grande, San Fernando, Tobago, also distributed.
Major Matthias said, “We can safely say at the end of it we would be doing 1,000 food hampers between all of us in different branches, maybe 1,500”. They however often stress “need knows no season”. It manages a thrift store on Charlotte Street, Port of Spain; Tunapuna, and San Fernando where clothing can be purchased at a nominal fee. Those who cannot pay get clothing for free. Major Matthias said the thrift stores help with funding social outreach programmes.
The Salvation Army runs a senior citizen’s home and women’s hostel on Duncan Street, Port of Spain. It has another women’s hostel on Henry Street. He said, “We always have to make the distinction that they [the hostels] are not emergency shelters. They are paid accommodations but low payment fees”. Among the people accommodated are nurses from Tobago assigned to the Port of Spain General Hospital or studying.
The Salvation Army is a faith-based organisation. It caters for spiritual needs with four places of worship in Trinidad—Tunapuna (36 Eastern Main Road), Sangre Grande (Lp 898 EMR), San Fernando (33 Coffee Street), Port of Spain (106 Charlotte Street) and Tobago (Dutch Fort).
“The Salvation Army began on the streets of East London in 1865 when Methodists, William and Catherine Booth, abandoned the traditional concept of a church pulpit to take God’s word directly to the people”. (Salvationarmy.org.uk)
Major Matthias said, the thinking was “what he saw was happening at the time, where the downtrodden and the down and out were not given the same access in terms of place of worship and so forth, he [William Booth] came out and formed the Salvation Army… catering to not only to their physical needs but also their spiritual needs as well, because he thought it was very difficult to preach the gospel to a man or woman on a hungry stomach, they can’t concentrate”.
Sharing a message from the Salvation Army for the season of giving, he stated: “Thanks to both individual and corporate donors who continue to support the outreach ministry of the Salvation Army. I would want to encourage them to continue to support, not just at Christmas but right throughout the year, because need knows no season. And long after Christmas persons would be coming seeking assistance in one form or another, and the support from corporate T&T and the general public goes a long way in helping us to meet many of those needs”.