Those jingle bells signalling it's time to put a donation in the Salvation Army kettle don't seem to be working their magic.
Last week, thieves stole cash from two Coquitlam kettles and, to make matters worse, donations to Sally Ann have also taken a dive across the Lower Mainland.
The longtime social service agency says kettle offerings are down about $200,000 so far this holiday season and spokesperson Lauren Chan said said she hopes people will dig deep over the next two weeks so Salvation Army can reach its goal of $4 million in donations.
"We really do rely on the support of the community. We are seeing an increase in the number of people using the services," Chan said.
Although it was a hardship to lose money from the Coquitlam kettles, Chan said rip-offs are rare.
"We're just here to serve the community. It's unfortunate that someone would target us," she said, adding that there are 45 kettles operating in the Tri-Cities at major malls and grocery stores.
Proceeds from the Sally Ann Christmas kettle drive are used to provide Christmas hampers, family support services, shelters and a safe house for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence.
