HOUSTON—While many people are searching for holiday jobs, the Salvation Army is offering a solution that can add to your pocket and bring back the familiar sights and sounds of Christmas.
Even when it is grey and gloomy outside, it seems like the Christmas spirit can be found in the most unusual places. Volunteers at a warehouse spend many hours getting ready for the holidays, but the scene is far from Santa’s workshop.
The warehouse is dark and kind of musty and no elves can be found inside, but the happy volunteers are making Christmas cheer for thousands of kids.
“This is fun. It does get us into the Christmas mood,” said volunteer Samson Barbalola. “It brings back memories of when you were younger.”
Barbalola is volunteering for the Salvation Army this holiday season, but the organization is struggling to find more. They are looking for more bell ringers.
“Without bell ringers, there’s no Christmas,” explained Captain Stephen Na.
He said the organization is looking to hire 80 people in Houston to man the red kettles and bring in sorely needed funds.
“We have felt the pinch and it has been a factor in some of the decisions we’ve had to make,” said Salvation Army spokesperson Juan Alanis.
People aren’t giving as much of their time or their money. The organization’s fiscal year from 2007 to 2008 is down by 12 percent.
But a look at the dingy room and something besides the tree lights seems to glow. The donations this year may be dim, but the volunteers packing up toys for needy kids shine.
The organization explained that perhaps the best reason to volunteer is simply because the need has increased for service.
Thousands more Houstonians have registered with the Angel Tree program. They need help getting gifts underneath the Christmas trees of needy kids this year.
Although the need is greater, the Salvation Army’s donations are at the lowest level in years. The organization said nearly 30,000 Houston families registered for the Angel Tree program.
That’s a 20 percent increase coupled together with a 17 percent decrease in last year’s red kettle donations.
If you’re looking for work, the job pays $7.25 an hour. The Salvation Army will even give bonuses for the bell ringers who bring in the most donations!
