Salvation Army: charity donations down in Portland because of snow and ice

PORTLAND, Ore.  — The Salvation Army in Portland said Friday that its holiday kettle donations are down dramatically because of recent bad weather.

The charity said Friday that it makes half of its annual budget by sending volunteers to ring bells by the famous red kettles, but snow and ice kept many volunteers at home in recent days.

It said in a news release that donations are at 52 percent of normal for a week before Christmas.

The Salvation Army in the Portland metropolitan region has raised about $389,000 out of a goal of $750,000 for the 2016 kettle season.