Penticton Salvation Army pastor Paul Trickett has been serving communities for 23 years and he91裸聊视频檚 never seen things as dire as they are this year.

91裸聊视频淚 equate it to an explosion,91裸聊视频� said Trickett. 91裸聊视频淲e are seeing family after family, all new faces from seniors, young couples to single parents needing our food bank.91裸聊视频�

Inflation has hit everyone hard and many are finding themselves unable to pay bills and put food on the table, he said. Volunteers at the Salvation Army in Penticton have noticed the need for support even higher than it was during COVID, he said.

The church91裸聊视频檚 annual kettle campaign is down in donations this year but what is most shocking is their mail-out campaign is down by 50 per cent.

91裸聊视频淲e had one senior couple who have donated a cheque for 10 years. When I opened their letter, there was no cheque but instead, they were asking for help for themselves. That one really hit me,91裸聊视频� said Trickett.

He delivered a Christmas hamper to them including a turkey.

It91裸聊视频檚 stories like theirs that the Salvation Army keeps encountering with so many struggling.

91裸聊视频淲e are bracing for it to get worse into 2024,91裸聊视频� he added.

The local Salvation Army distributes more than 500 hampers every month to needy individuals and families in addition to over 2,000 people accessing the food bank every month.

The pool of people able to donate is dwindling and the amount people can afford to donate is down even for people making decent money, he added.

A lawyer who gave $1,000 every year could only donate $300 this year, he said.

The local service agency had to make the difficult decision to cut some families this season from the adopt-a-family program because they didn91裸聊视频檛 get as many people signing up this Christmas to help.

He91裸聊视频檚 suggesting that businesses get together and pool their money to adopt a family.

91裸聊视频淲hen my wife and I took over five years ago in Penticton, we were overloaded with food and donations. Now the demand is way up for our services and the donations are down.91裸聊视频�

One positive is volunteerism is up, especially with the kettles, he said.

Trickett doesn91裸聊视频檛 want to sound alarming, but he is getting worried about what the near future will hold for vulnerable people in the community.

91裸聊视频淚 think people were aware that inflation was here but I don91裸聊视频檛 think people were prepared at how hard it would hit. And next year many people91裸聊视频檚 mortgages are up for renewal and that91裸聊视频檚 worrisome.91裸聊视频�

Trickett said during these difficult times people need to look out for their neighbours, be kind to one another and do little things.

His ask for the new year is to not forget that the needs of those Salvation Army serves are 365 days a year, not just at Christmas.

They will be holding to Christmas Eve services - one at 10:30 a.m. and a candlelight service at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome.