Local Charities Mark Giving Tuesday, Aim to Boost Holiday Support

On December 2, a wave of charitable appeals across Perry County and southeastern Kentucky underscored the role of private giving in meeting holiday needs and sustaining social services through the winter months. The Southeast Kentucky Salvation Army set an ambitious goal for its signature fundraiser, drawing on a volunteer and donor base that helped distribute nearly 2,000 Christmas gifts to children and seniors last year.

"This is our major fundraiser for the year. So, this helps support the work of the Salvation Army year round in our community," said Capt. Carrie McCall of the Salvation Army Southeast Kentucky and Middlesboro. Officials said the organization aimed to raise $90,000 for its kettle campaign to fund both seasonal assistance and ongoing programs that local residents depend on.

The region saw new entrants to the Giving Tuesday effort. The Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky took part for the first time, directing donations to specific funds that support community priorities. "This is just the first of many. This is really getting our feet wet," said Kristin Walker Collins, CEO at the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky. She noted that gifts will flow into targeted community foundations including the Perry County Community Foundation and the Upper Cumberland Community Foundation, as well as 10 other affiliate community foundations. "Whether that’s putting giving money to food pantries to help in the food crisis or to help fund a park," Collins said.

Local participation matters because philanthropic dollars often fill gaps left by constrained public budgets, especially for immediate needs like food assistance and winter utility support. The Salvation Army's prior distribution of nearly 2,000 gifts provides a concrete measure of demand during the holidays, and the $90,000 fundraising goal reflects the scale of resources required to meet that demand this year.

Other organizations listed on Facebook joined the effort, including the Housing Development Alliance and the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, expanding the range of services that Giving Tuesday donations can support. For Perry County residents, these campaigns translate into tangible services in the weeks ahead, from food pantry supplies to recreation projects that affect local quality of life. As fundraisers close out the season, the results will serve as a short term buffer and a reminder of the longer term need for coordinated community investment in social infrastructure.