It’s been a mixed bag for donations in Humboldt County

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HUMBOLDT COUNTY, Calif. (KIEM)- Nationwide, people are donating more than ever. Even during a coronavirus pandemic.

In Humboldt County, it’s a mixed bag.

As we know, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone hard. Whether it be less money coming in for individuals, businesses having to shut down or adjust the way they do business and the way we have had to adjust socially.

But it looks like the spirit of giving is still intact this holiday season, at least in some ways.

The Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department says that this has been their best year since they started the Santa sleigh drive.

“In the last couple of years when we’ve put barrels out, our donations have been kind of on the smaller side,” said Nicole Genaro, the Toy Coordinator for the Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department. “This year our barrels were overflowing in most of the locations we put them.”

They also had more people interested in volunteering to help.

“We had a lot of people call in and want to adopt families,” said Genaro. “I want to say, we had 15 or 16 families call in and want to actually shop personally for other families, which is something we haven’t had in the past.”

But it’s a different story for the Salvation Army in eureka.       

“Some of the things that have really been affected for this season are our Christmas donations such as our angel tree toys and our red kettle donations that we get that we do out in the stores,” said The Salvation Army Lieutenant, Joshua Dulay.          

Donations aren’t what they used to be. The money they get from the red kettle drive goes towards helping out kids during the holiday season and to help maintain the programs and resources they offer year-round.

Lt. Dulay knows this has been a very tough year financially, but encourages people to donate any way they can to their local salvation army.

The Salvation Army is still in need of volunteers to ring the bells for the final stretch of the red kettle drive.

So if you would like to participate click here.