Posted on 12/02/2004 8:07:01 AM PST by SmithL
The Salvation Army has received an outpouring of support after reports that two major department store chains -- Target and Mervyn's -- had banned the charity's holiday bell ringers from collecting donations in front of their stores, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
The Salvation Army's office in San Francisco received scores of calls from people who said they were shocked by the chains' decision to boot the little red kettles off their property after years of permitting the collections. Some callers said they were writing letters to the corporations; others promised to boycott the stores.
"People are saying they are saddened that the stores won't let the bell ringers be there,'' said Jennifer Byrd, the Salvation Army spokeswoman for the area from the Bay Area to Bakersfield. "People are really coming out to tell us stories about how important the Salvation Army is."
A spokeswoman for Target said its no-solicitation policy would remain in force. Representatives for Mervyn's did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Target and Mervyn's have banned the kettle collectors altogether. Safeway has cut back the number of days that Salvation Army collectors can stand in front of its supermarkets this holiday season.
That means the loss of big money. Donations to the kettle pots, a tradition that started in San Francisco in 1891 with a crab pot at the foot of Market Street, accounted for $93 million nationwide last year.
In response to the ban by Target and Mervyn's, other retailers have called to offer their storefront locations to the kettle ringers.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
In response to the ban by Target and Mervyn's, other retailers have called to offer their storefront locations to the kettle ringers.<<<
Message to those other retailers "I'll be seeing you this Christmas".
I know I will and I'll also let them know why.
The Salvation Army is truly worthy charity. Their overhead is minimal, and their good works really make the bureaucratic Red Cross look shabby.
What the heck is Mervyns????
I am on a boycott of target also and everytime I see a bell ringer I make sure to give them money.
I would lodge a complaint but I don't even know who to talk to. I'll check out Targets website later
My wife and I, my sister, and my neighbor will not be shopping at Target in the future. There are too many good stores out there to worry about one owned by a French consortium that would be stupid enough to pull this nonsense.
Yep, on my list, including Best buy, which I had intended to make a big purchase. To many retailers to frequent that aren't anti-Salvation Army. Including (gasp) Wal-Mart.
Yep, on my list, including Best buy......
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Salvation Army could do great at Best Buy. I did not know they were excluded.
I wrote Target via its website. They even wrote me back a nice personal message, along with the corporate boilerplate response. I appreciated the personal touch, but it didn't change my mind. They've lost our business over a very foolish decision.
Yep, those terrible Reagan budget cuts. To my knowledge, no SA official ever corrected this partisan and misleading statement.
Yep.
I'm sorry that I annoyed you.
I can remember several years ago when Fred Meyer had to drop "one stop shopping center" from their banner. The lawyers said "shopping center" was in effect implying a public place and as such they needed to allow access to the marijuana initiative group and any other.
If I am not mistaken, bell-ringers aren't the only way to donate to the salvation army. I think they take checks!
I think Target and Mervyns are owned by Dayton-Hudson...
I think Dayton Hudson also owns Marshall Fields...but they
may have spun them off recently not sure...anyone know?
I say 99 cent store or bust!
Target is starting to get a bit expensive anyway....
Mervyns....not bad, but same products can be had at
other stores....no compelling reason to go there...
I only think it's fair to note that this "no-solicitation policy" is not just aimed at the Salvation Army. These businesess are NOT anti-Slavation Army. Target donates a lot of money to the SA. No organization is allowed to solicit dotaions outside these businesses.
While I find it inconvienient that the SA has to follow the same rules as everyone else, I think the policy overall is a sound one.
Exclusive of the SA, I am sick and tired of getting hit-up by 5 different groups begging for money outside my local retailers. It would be discriminatory to allow the SA and not every hole-in-the-wall "charity" and local organization that wants harass shppers into giving them cash.
Undoubtedly. No bell ringers, no shopping.
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