IMO, they went from a culture of religious-based giving and charity to one of woke apologism. I don’t care how many of their bell ringers say “Merry Christmas.” I’m not going to give to a corporate culture like that.
Not disagreeing, but giving is a hard habit to break..
When living in Florida, forever, my excuse not to hand anything to any cardboard sign carriers with a hand out was that i gave well to the Salvation Army.
SA has taken some goodwill out of my life. (And GoodWill is a for profit company)..
My grandfather was a 17yo Iowa farm boy who joined the Army and promptly found himself in France 1917-18. There were several organizations (40&8, VFW, Oddfellows, Salvation Army) that were very important to him. He was in his 80s (I was a teenager) when he started talking. He told me that I was never to walk past a kettle. He said the SA was the “good” outfit and was so important and the only semblance of normalcy or home that he had experienced during the war. According to him, they would set up close to the front and their coffee and doughnuts were free. They tried to discourage gambling and would coordinate sending money home to make it more difficult. He said they were courageous angels and would share the gospel or conversation or quiet company in an insane situation. He died in 1991 and remembered them in his estate.
I have followed his directive ever since. I only ever really carry cash in November and December— and it is for the kettles. This year has been a battle for me. I just finally walked past one at the grocery store and feel horrible. I feel like I’m disgracing my grandfather but feel the SA now have no use for him.