'Tis the season ... as many are busy shopping and baking for family and friends with the Christmas season approaching, volunteers and staff at the Salvation Army are in the midst of their busiest fund-raising season. Their goal is to make Christmas a little more enjoyable for those less fortunate.

The Whitehorse Food Bank was to decide at a board meeting today its plans for how it might distribute food to its clients over the season as well.

Salvation Army Capt. Shannon Howard said Monday the group is aiming to raise $60,000 through its mail-in and kettle campaign this year, with all the money going to operations at the downtown shelter.

That will fund about 30 per cent of the annual costs of running the facility.

If the Salvation Army reaches its goal this Christmas, it would raise $4,000 over last year's Christmas appeal.

As Howard noted though, to raise that money, the Salvation Army is looking for volunteers to take on the two-hour shifts at the kettles stationed around the city.

"It's a lot of volunteers we're looking for,” she said of the 30 to 40 individuals needed to staff the kettles at locations like Walmart, the liquor store and the Real Canadian Superstore, among others.

While the group has some of its volunteers in place for the Wednesday-to-Saturday shifts, it still needs more. It's also hoping its Adopt-A-Kettle campaign will see those volunteers sign on through their work or organization.

The campaign has businesses and groups take on the fund-raising of one kettle on a particular day, with a sign stating who the kettle was adopted by for the day. Shifts are then divided up among the business' or groups' employees or participants.

"That's been going really well,” Howard said. Eight have signed on, with another four or five stating their commitment, but still determining when they can do the work.

Anyone looking to sign up as kettle volunteers through the Salvation Army can contact Howard at 668-2327.

Also, those wanting to donate to the kettle campaign, who don't always carry cash, can do so by visiting www.fillthekettle.com.

It's a new initiative that allows donations to be received over the Internet, Howard explained.

Those donating can ensure their money goes to the Whitehorse branch of the Salvation Army by clicking on Whitehorse on the map provided and following instructions from there.

”We're living in a credit card world,” Howard noted.

She is also reminding those who donate through the organization's mail campaign that the Edmonton address provided in the letter sent to homes is simply where the money goes to be processed for the Whitehorse Salvation Army.

All the money comes back to the territory, she emphasized. She's already heard some concerns from residents worried that their donation wouldn't be used locally.

"It's just a processing place,” she said again.

Along with raising cash to operate the shelter over the next year, the local Salvation Army will host its annual Christmas dinner on Dec. 25. It's also seeking volunteers for that as well in preparing for the approximately 120 guests expected on Christmas Day.

Volunteers will certainly be welcome to just show up and help out with anything from serving to cooking to cleaning up afterwards. However, Howard said, she'd appreciate a call from those planning to volunteer for the dinner in order to get a sense of how many volunteers will be there so organizers can better plan for the dinner.

As for how many the local group is looking for, she replied: "As many as we can get.”

She suspects after last year's dinner, the group will be in particular need of volunteers for the clean-up effort after dinner is served.

Finally, though the Salvation Army doesn't operate a Christmas hamper program like it once did – with the Whitehorse Food Bank taking over grocery distribution to those in need throughout the year – it is collecting toys for children.

"We're always in need of toys,” Howard said. Along with dropping them off at the Salvation Army's Black Street location, Walmart also has a box where those buying toys at the store for the group to distribute can leave them there.

Of particular note, the Salvation Army would like to see more donations for teenagers, like movies, gift cards or hoodies.

And while the Salvation Army works on collecting toys, the food bank is working on how it might give a little more to families in need this Christmas.

Stephen Dunbar-Edge, the bank's executive director, said Tuesday the board of directors would decide Wednesday how it wants to distribute food for the Christmas season. He's not expecting it to be the more elaborate Christmas hampers handed out to clients last year.

In 2009, he explained, the food bank received a one-time $35,000 grant from the Bob Couchman Foundation.

That allowed for those hampers with all the goodies to go to those in need, including many outside of Whitehorse.

This year, things aren't looking so good. Dunbar-Edge said one of his biggest focuses is on making sure clients are able to get a regular supply of food through the year.

The bank will likely provide clients will some sort of Christmas dinner meat – turkey, ham or chicken – as well as a few extras such as canned cranberry sauce, depending on what the board decides at today's meeting.

He pointed out that since last year, the number of clients using the food bank on a monthly basis has jumped from about 80 clients to 125. That equates to a total of 250 people when looking at the number of family members a client may have and be getting food for.

He's noticed many clients are working low-paying jobs and are having trouble paying both high rental costs and other bills such as groceries. There are also many job transitions happening that are bringing new clients to the food bank.

Dunbar-Edge said he would like to see more donations be guaranteed throughout the year. If 500 people joined the food bank's 500 Club, donating $20 a month, the bank would be self-sustaining, he pointed out, noting that right now, only 175 people are making the monthly donations.

If that could rise to help ensure the food bank has a stable supply of food throughout the year, Dunbar-Edge said, he would be more comfortable organizing a more extensive Christmas program.

For those looking at donating food now, the bank is currently in need of "anything” non-perishable and healthy, from canned fruits and vegetables to rice, pasta, beans and canned meat.

While Christmas is a great time to give, Dunbar-Edge hopes it will also get people thinking about giving all year.

He also noted the food bank may work with the Salvation Army on the Christmas campaign.

Along with the Christmas goodies handed out by the Salvation Army and the food bank, Dunbar-Edge pointed to the Whitehorse Kinnettes Club's annual Share the Spirit campaign. That also provides Christmas hampers to those in need, though normally going to those dealing with territorial social services officials, which does not include all those seeking the services of groups like the food bank.

The local Kinnettes Club could not be reached to discuss its plans for the Christmas season.