While holiday donations are usually generous in Columbia, volunteer area coordinator Seth Taylor of the Salvation Army said as summer approaches the supplies are dwindling.

“We are concerned that we won’t be able to help people who may need it through the summer,” Taylor said. “The Salvation Army has always relied on the generosity of local Columbia residents to help us do our work, so now we are making a plea for support.”

Taylor said that Columbia residents were always ready to help, but when summer arrives, people’s thoughts tend to turn toward vacations and backyard barbeques.

“Summer is typically a slow time for us,” he said. “But the needs of the people means our work continues no matter how the economy goes.”

The Salvation Army feeds the hungry through local churches, and that is a big help to low–income working families whose budgets are stretched to the limit in the summer when their children are no longer getting fed from federal school lunches. There are also families where the main bread winner has been laid off and that have gone through their savings while looking for work. Add this seasonal swell of need to the homeless, chronically unemployed, and psychologically damaged who have been receiving food, clothing, and counseling throughout the year, and you have a definite deficit in the means to help, Taylor said.

Taylor said that 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in 5,000 communities nationwide and many overseas.

“We use the money from donations and the sales at our thrift stores for a variety of programs,” Taylor said. “In addition to our food banks and meal programs, we also have counseling services; we work with the homeless to get them back into society, and we can assist people with their utility bills and their rent.”

The organization also uses its canteen trucks, which are basically kitchens on wheels to go out to disaster areas and feed the victims of floods, tornados, and other natural disasters such as the recent floods in Atlanta or the Haitian earthquake, he said.

The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 by William Booth, in London, England. The organization established a corps in Columbia, S.C. in 1906 and has been serving people living in extreme poverty in the Midlands for more than 100 years. It is part of the universal Christian church and its mission statement on the website said that its message is based on the Bible.

“Its ministry is motivated by the love of God,” the website said. “Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

The various thrift stores in the Midlands are looking for all sorts of donations ranging from clothing and shoes to household items and large appliances that can be resold, Taylor said.

“The best thing about the Salvation Army is that we are an army of people helping people,” he said. “It’s a win–win situation for everyone involved.

To donate or have large items picked up, you can call (803) 748-9964. Clothing and small items can be delivered to the Columbia store at 1312 Millwood Avenue and cash donations can be sent to P.O. Drawer 2786, Columbia, SC 29202.