Donation match helps Salvation Army reach Red Kettle fundraising goal
‘Tis the season for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, and it’s getting a boost locally this year thanks to a couple of generous sources.
Now through Dec. 24, Scott Township-based Musuneggi Financial Group LLC will match donations up to a total of $10,000 for the campaign benefiting the Salvation Army Pittsburgh Temple Worship and Service Center in Mt. Lebanon.
An anonymous donor has pledged $25,000 toward the cause.
“Our goal for this year is $100,000, and we were tracking $35,000 behind,” said Justin Caldwell, Pittsburgh Temple captain. “These funds help to support the Salvation Army’s services and programs for the entire year.”
Christopher Musuneggi, president of the financial group and a Mt. Lebanon resident, serves on the temple’s advisory council. He previously discussed the project shortfall with Caldwell.
“You know what? Doing a matching might help spur other people to donate,” he recalled telling Caldwell. “So we thought that would be a good way to go.”
In addition, he recently joined with family members and friends to ring bells on behalf of the kettle campaign in front of Macy’s at South Hills Village.
Overall, they have had comparatively few counterparts.
“The biggest challenge this year was finding ringers,” Caldwell said. “We have various volunteer groups, but it’s not enough to be able to cover all the hours. So we have to hire every year. And this year, even more so than last year, we have a deficit of workers.
“We’re finding that we have fewer bodies ringing the bells, so that’s impacting, obviously, how much we can collect in the kettles,” added Musuneggi.
The Salvation Army Pittsburgh Temple Worship and Service Center offers numerous programs throughout the year, including a Thursday food distribution that serves between 100 and 150 families.
A caseworker is on site Monday through Friday to provide help to those seeking utility and rental assistance, along with obtaining clothing and other basic essentials. Other efforts include summer camp programs for youth and seniors, and this time of year, holiday meals and Christmas gifts for children.
During the summer, a clothing drive in Mt. Lebanon is held in advance of providing school supplies for students. Also, a “Love In a Backpack” program at Pittsburgh School District’s Banksville Elementary provides students with food for the weekend.
“Those have been really big programs that we’ve had a lot of success with and have really, I think, made an impact,” Musuneggi said.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/saptemple and www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn.