[Year-End Changed by COVID-19] Salvation Army Kettle Rang for 2 Hours... Then Suddenly Cut Off Warm Hands

At around 1 p.m. on the 25th, Kim Suhwan, a reporter from this newspaper, volunteered in person at a Salvation Army charity kettle in Myeongdong, waiting for citizens to donate.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] "It is our hope that all generations of our sons and daughters can live well."

On Christmas Day, around 1 p.m. on the 25th, a nonagenarian elderly couple held hands tightly and came to the Salvation Army charity kettle in Myeongdong to say this. Grandma A (93) said she never misses participating in the Salvation Army fundraising at the end of the year. Ms. B, a woman in her 50s who filled the kettle with dozens of 1,000 won bills, said, "I fill it with cash like this hoping that our donation culture will last for 100 or 500 years." The reporter became a Kettle Mate wearing the Salvation Army’s symbolic red long padded jumper that day. During the two hours of ringing the bell, a symbol of the charity kettle, about 30 people participated in donations. There were couples, elderly couples, and families with children. All of them said they donated with the hope that neighbors around us could live better lives.

The Bell Sound Echoing Through the Quiet Streets

The impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic reached Myeongdong, the largest commercial district in Korea. While the streets of Myeongdong were packed with crowds every Christmas in the past, this year the streets were quiet, and the sound of the Salvation Army bell and the warmth of helping hands felt even stronger.

Kim Taehyung (29, male), who guarded the charity kettle with the reporter, said, "I have done a lot of volunteer work, but I had never participated in Salvation Army activities before," adding, "Since it is a difficult time due to COVID-19, I thought volunteering on Christmas would be meaningful, so I came out myself." He said that volunteering not only helps people around us but also benefits the volunteers themselves. He felt that volunteering has a positive influence on people around and that he gains a lot personally. However, Kim added, "I have heard that it is difficult to find volunteers these days, not only for the Salvation Army, which is unfortunate."

Citizens who use donations as an educational opportunity also stood out. Ms. Park (45, female) gave her 5-year-old son a few 1,000 won bills and let him put them directly into the kettle. She said, "I wanted to teach him how to help people around us through the experience of donating directly," adding, "I hope that children in our society will continue to learn about the donation culture and that it will be an opportunity to move toward a brighter society."

On the 25th at 2 PM, the Salvation Army charity kettle fundraising is taking place in front of Woori Bank at Myeongdong Arts Theater. Unlike previous years, there are fewer pedestrians, and the atmosphere is quiet.

Shrunken Donations, Fundraising Amount Down 25% from Last Year

As the economic sentiment worsened and COVID-19 spread, donation activities have generally shrunk. According to the Salvation Army Charity Kettle Headquarters, the cumulative street fundraising amount from the 1st to the 20th of this month was 1.5 billion won, about 25% less than the same period last year (2 billion won). The Community Chest of Korea (Sarangui Yeolmae) also lowered its fundraising goal from 425.7 billion won last year to 350 billion won this year. These social organizations are actively promoting non-face-to-face fundraising, considering the spread of the untact culture.

The Salvation Army also introduced non-face-to-face digital fundraising that allows donations online without cash through QR codes and postpaid transportation cards. A Salvation Army official said, "Online fundraising increased by more than 55% compared to last year," adding, "Citizens’ responses are positive. We will continue to operate online fundraising regularly to encourage citizen participation."