The Salvation Army Rochester has met one of two fundraising goals this holiday season.
After Christmas Eve, bell-ringers had collected in their kettles just over $300,000, surpassing the local organization's $300,000 goal, said Jeff Urban, development and volunteer coordinator.
But the local Salvation Army still had about $150,000 remaining to meet a $450,000 direct-mail fundraising goal.
Salvation Army bell-ringers set records for a third consecutive year for volunteer hours (6,150), Urban said.
The exact grand total raised will not be known until the money is counted Tuesday, Urban said, but collections as of Thursday morning had followed a rate of about $50 per kettle per hour — or a little more than $20,000 per day. Maintaining the rate would have led to a final total of a little more than $300,000, Urban said.
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Last year, bell-ringers raised $276,000.
Increased demand in recent years for Salvation Army programs has led to an increased fundraising need, Urban said.
The Salvation Army recently expanded its Adult Day Program from 25 clients to between 60 and 70 clients. Three years ago, it opened the 32-unit Castleview Apartments for chronically homeless people. And demand for medical and dental services from uninsured and underinsured people continues to rise, Urban said.
