Shah and Barlow’s goal is to raise $5,000 by Christmas, up from last year’s achieved goal of $4,000.
“For me, this particular group, I have just come to love,” Shah said. “They always have their sleeves rolled up. They always have their feet on the ground.”
Barlow said before she and Shah partnered for the Salvation Army’s virtual kettle program last year, she and her family would participate in other Salvation Army traditions, such as its Angel Tree, which contains the names and Christmas wishes of area children so community members can give them gifts.
“They’re the hands and feet of our community,” she said.
Springfield Salvation Army development director Ryan Ray said that money raised through the virtual fundraisers will go toward helping people with expenses related to food, utilities, clothing rent and mortgage, and more. Money will also aid the nonprofit’s Pathway of Hope program, which provides services to families by connecting them to job training, health services, and more.
“It’s very intensive casework,” Ray said. “Salvation Army locations all across the U.S. who have this program are seeing some amazing results.”
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