Fort Wayne Salvation Army expecting large crowd for Christmas Assistance program

The Salvation Army's annual Christmas Assistance program will help Allen County families in need for the holiday as part of their national 'Rescue Christmas' campaign.

In just a couple of days, families who are in need can sign up for salvation army christmas donations come winter time.

Fox 55's mallory beard is live at the salvation army's community center where families will sign up for their annual christmas assistance program.mallory..

Yes hunter,i'm inside of the church at the community center right now where families can sign up for the assistance program in just a couple of days.and this will be helpful, because as all of us know, the covid-19 pandemic hit hard.but the salvation army staff and volunteers say they're here to help.

Salvation army captain kenyon sivels s ys his staff don ask questions when it comes to lending a hand during christmas time.captain kenyon sivels//salvation army corps office administratornd so as they come during that time, we will have volunteers and staff available to help folks secure christmas help, toys, those kind ofhe army.

Christmas assistance program will help allen county families in need of clothes and toys for the holiday.

An annual initiative separate from the donation sites across town.karen heckman says the misconceptions about those reaching out for help need to stop.karen heckman//donating eople that n army ask for help of any kind... peope just assume they lazy or on drugs or something, but they be uldn embaalvation t all.

Army social service director timothy smith says toys are a new addition to the program.he says due to the covid-19 pandemic, staff are expecting a crowd to outnumber last year 3,500 people.timothy smith//salvation army social service director would guess thate gonna do at least 5,00e i have no idea.we gonna find out on monday what the line is like.

But i imagine that this will be the busiest chrie mas that i ever seen.eckman says this christmas is about the parents...but always about the children.karen heckman//donati ng t sahereion army always going to be hardships, ther always going to be unemployment within our economy.

Need to know about this.

They deserve a good christmas.nd smith says the salvation army will do their best to ensure a good holiday for them.timothy smith//salvation army social service director"and as long as the community is there to suppe gonna be there to help them out... now the sign up for the christmas assistance program is right here at the salvation army community center from october 12th through october 16th.and once again the staff at the salvation army say, 'we don't ask why anyone is here...we just want to help."

Reporting live in fort wayne i'm mallory beard... fox 55