Salvation Army serves 30th annual Windsor Christmas dinner
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Hundreds of festive folks from all walks of life feasted together in downtown Windsor this week.
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The Salvation Army’s complimentary 30th annual Christmas dinner had more than 700 people partake at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts on Wednesday evening.
“It’s a great opportunity for the community to come together and have a moment where they can stop, forget about some of the challenges they might be having, and just enjoy a dinner,” Jason Linton, executive director of Salvation Army Windsor, told the Star.
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The turkey meal was complete with a special visit from Santa Claus and a performance by the Salvation Army Brass Band. Many volunteer servers wore reindeer antlers, while some diners were decked out in holiday garb.
Linton said Salvation Army Windsor, which relies heavily on donations, is behind on fundraising this year. According to the organization’s website, its Christmas kettle campaign has raised roughly $127,000 for services in Windsor so far — just over half of its $240,000 goal.
“Although people are being very generous, it’s emblematic of where people are in their own lives right now and the priorities that they have,” Linton said.
The ongoing Canada Post strike has complicated collections for the organization, which typically runs a year-end fundraising campaign by mail, he said.
“We’re really pushing people towards different ways of donating.”
Food bank use is up at the Salvation Army, Linton said.
“A lot of younger families are now using the food bank. We’re also seeing first-time users — that’s a red flag for us. That means services are incredibly in demand. Food insecurity is a major issue.”
Christmas kettles for donations are set up at 22 locations in Windsor. People can also donate online at salvationarmywindsor.ca or by visiting the Salvation Army at 355 Church St.
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