Salvation Army kettle donations fall since 2019

Donations in support of the Salvation Army's annual Red Kettle Campaign are down for the fourth year in a row.

The iconic red collection kettles — usually accompanied by volunteer bell ringers — have been light this year as the religious charity struggles to return to pre-pandemic numbers.

"We have not yet seen throughout the nonprofit sector a return to the generosity and giving that we had seen before the pandemic," Salvation Army Commissioner Kenneth G. Hodder told The Washington Post.

The Red Kettle Campaign raised approximately $102 million in 2022. Giving has steadily decreased since 2019, when the campaign raised approximately $126 million.

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An exact reason for the decline is hard to pin down, but with rampant inflation squeezing the wallets of many middle-class Americans, charitable giving may be less of a priority.

Each holiday season, scores of volunteers spend time trying to raise money for the organization, which serves more than 25 million people in need across the country year-round. 

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"Our goal is always to raise more than $100 million," Hodder told the Post. "We need folks who can come out to help us. Help us help your neighborhoods in need, and in so doing, help yourself."

Another source of declining donations could be U.S. shoppers moving away from carrying hard cash.

The Salvation Army has attempted to keep up with modern financial trends by accommodating a wide variety of donation methods besides bills.

People can also donate with cash, coins, checks or through Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo at any red kettle across the country. 

Donors can also use cryptocurrency such as bitcoin or Ethereum, or sign up for a sustaining gift of $25 a month.

FOX Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.