More flock to Salvation Army's door for Christmas program

Gina Vasselli / The Item People line up early Tuesday for the start of the application process for the Salvation Army's Christmas Assistance Program.

By GINA VASSELLI
Item Staff Writer
gvasselli@theitem.com

At 8:30 Tuesday morning, at least 20 people were standing outside in the cold, waiting in line to apply for the Salvation Army's Christmas Assistance Program.

By 9:30, right before the doors opened, there were 40 to 50 people in line.

Some had been there before and talked about their experiences here and at other shelters around the community.

One woman gave a colorful account of a fight she almost got into at a Bishopville shelter, when someone pushed through the line that she said had to be at least 300 people long.

Many standing in the chilly drizzle talked about their kids and the toys they had gotten from the Salvation Army last year.

One woman, with her hand on the head of her 1-year-old daughter, said she had several children with birthdays around the holidays.

She plans to only put a couple of the gifts she gets from the Salvation Army under the tree; the others she would hide and give to the children at their birthdays.

Others were quiet and simply huddled against the cold.

"We've had a lot of first timers," said volunteer Lucy Copeland.

Capt. David Phelps, director of the Salvation Army's Sumter office, said the group is expecting to help about 150 more families this year than last year's 900 to 1,000.

He said in preparation for the expected increase, the charity spent $6,000 to $7,000 more this year on toys.

On Monday, the first day people could apply for the assistance, he said there were about 50 people outside at 7:30 a.m., two hours before the doors opened to the wood-paneled rooms where the application process began.

Gina Vasselli / The Item A stack of applications is ready to be filled out Tuesday at the Salvation Army.

Jennifer Baker, the Christmas Assistance coordinator, said the line stretched from the door to where Kendrick Street intersects South Magnolia Street.

Phelps said the economy is obviously playing a big role in the increase.

Though the national economy has seen some small signs of improvement, he said, "In our local economy that's not the case."

The Christmas Assistance Program aims to give each child in a family three brand new toys, along with a grocery gift card for $10 per person in the family.

"It's that extra assistance to make Christmas, Christmas," Phelps said.

It may seem early to think about Christmas, but Phelps said the group wanted to "get an early hand on it this year."

"Christmas is already here," he said.

Phelps said the Salvation Army has also already gotten a number of calls about the Fireside Fund, which pays the heating bills for families in need and hasn't even started yet.

Started by The Item on Nov. 11, 1969, the Fireside Fund has raised more than $1,100,000 throughout its 39-year history to help needy families with their heating costs.

Copeland said she got 30 calls about it last week alone.

But Phelps said tough times like these are part of the reason the Salvation Army exists.

"People need the Salvation Army," he said. "People are coming to our door who have never needed to be here before. People are going without food."

Phelps said people need the help from the Salvation Army all year long, but "especially this time of year."

"This is when they need more," he said. "This is not the happiest time of year for them."



Contact Staff Writer Gina Vasselli at gvasselli@theitem.com or (803) 774-1214.