Salvation Army calls for holiday assistance

The need is greater than ever, Salvation Army officials say as they plead for last-minute donations to fill holiday food boxes and place toys under Christmas trees for needy children.

The unemployment rate for Pasco County for October stood at 12.5 percent, according to the latest state statistics.

"The unemployment is really catastrophic," Jeanne Coulter, manager of the Center of Hope, said in November about the economic downturn. "I haven't seen anything like this in the past 13 years," Coulter said about her tenure at Center of Hope.

Salvation Army began some of its holiday aid programs a week early this year, anticipating more people would need a helping hand. Deadlines for donations are coming up next week.

With little more than a week left before the food boxes are delivered, organizers still need 200 more turkeys or hams, according to Jeanne Coulter, the manager of the Salvation Army Center of Hope.

The annual holiday food drive has collected 42 turkeys and six hams as of last week, Coulter reports.

Other items needed for the holiday meals include stuffing mix, gravy, cranberry sauce, canned fruit, yams or sweet potatoes, instant potatoes, macaroni and cheese mix, corn and green beans.

Donations can be dropped off at the Center of Hope at 8040 Washington St., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The food boxes will be distributed on Monday.

Meanwhile, Salvation Army's Angel Tree still had more than 100 ornaments representing needy children who might otherwise not get any presents, Coulter reports. Benefactors take an ornament which lists suggestions for gifts for a particular child.

"We need your help desperately," Coulter said in a news release. "All toys must be returned no later than (today) to the Angel Tree."

A shortage of gifts exists particularly for infants and toddlers up to 9 months old.

About 745 children benefitted from the Angel Tree program last year, and Coulter expects more youths will be registered for aid this holiday season.

New toys or monetary donations can be dropped off at the Center of Hope. For information, call Coulter at (727) 847-6321, ext. 223.