Salvation Army Needs Volunteer Bell Ringers

MARIN COUNTY, CA -- Officials with The Salvation Army say they're facing a Bay Area-wide shortage of holiday bell ringers, who are the kind souls standing in the cold with a bell and red kettle collecting donations for the poor.

The nonprofit says the shortage is especially acute in San Francisco and northern San Mateo County where bell ringers are needed from now until Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

Officials said an average of only five people a day are ringing bells in San Francisco this season, compared with 20 to 25 a day last year.

"So we are really struggling to get enough ringers," Salvation Army spokeswoman Sally Robb Haims said.

Salvation Army officials prefer people who can afford to ring as a volunteer, but they do also hire temporary ringers, Haims said.

The holiday season is a critical time for the Salvation Army because much of the money raised during the holidays goes toward the work the charity does throughout the year, including feeding the hungry, sheltering homeless, giving toys to children and running after-school programs.

"Folks can make a huge difference," Haims said.

Volunteers can choose the location, day and shift that they ring, and ringers can split a minimum two-hour shift with a friend, or ringers can sign up as a group.

Volunteers can sign up at https://volunteer.usawest.org. Anyone with questions about volunteering can contact Lt. Ruairi Ward at (650) 266-4591 or ruairi.ward@usw.salvationarmy.org.

By Bay City News Service/Image via Shutterstock